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WM' '
mammim
Digitized by CjOCK iC
NARRATIVE
, ADVENTURES AND SUFFERINGS
or
JOHN R. JEWITT \
ONLY SUBVIVOR OF THS CREW OF THI SHIP
BOSTON,
•TUm A CAPnVITT OF mCAKLT TBRIB TBAR8 AMOXS TBI
SAVAGES OF NOGTKA SOUND:
WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE
MANNERS, MODE OF LIVING, AND RBLiaiO¥S
OPINIONS OF THE NATIVES.
BMBSLLI8HED WITH ENQRAVINOS.
^ tV^vi) ^VW ITHACA, N,^Y^ . .. ;, : f ^ \ \
^^^ '— ifACK, ANDRUaii.CO.
1849.
Checked
may,19U
e '
> .
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
A LIST O* WORDS IN THE NOOTKIAN
LANGUAGE, THE MOST IN USE.
Cbeck-ap, Mao.
Klootz-mah, Woman.
Noowexa, Father.
Hooma-bexa^ Mother.
Tanassis, Child.
Katlahtik, Brother.
Kloot-cbem-ap, Sister.
Tanassis-check-up, Son.
Tanassis-kloots-mab, Daughter.
Tau-batHse-tee, Head.
Kaasee, Eves.
Hap-se-up, Hair.
Naetsa, Nose.
Parpee, Ears.
Chee-chee, Teeth.
Choop, Tongue.
Kook-a-nik-fla, Hands.
Klish-klin, Feet.
Oophelth, Sun or Bloon.
Tar-toose, Stars.
Sie-yah, Sky.
Toop-elth, Sea.
Cha-hak, Fresh water.
Meetia, Rain.
Queece^ Snow.
Noot-cbee, Mooutain or hill.
Klat-tur-miss, Earth.
Een-nak-see, Fire or fuel.
Mooknsee, Rock.
Mak-ka-tee> House.
Wik, No.
He-ho, Yes.
Kak-koeltb, Slave.
Mahhack, Whale.
Klack-e-miss, Oil.
Quart-lak, Sea-otter.
Coo-coo-bo-Ki, Seal.
Uoo-watch, Bear.
So-har, Sahnon.
Toosch-qua, Cod.
Pow-ee, Halibut.
Kloos-a-mit, Herring.
Chap-atz, Canoe.
Oo-wha-pa, Paddle.
Cbee-me-na, A fish-hook.
Chee-men, Fish-hooks.
Sick-a^noyt Iron.
Klick-er-yek
Quish-ar,
Mar-met-ta,
Pook-shit-tle,
Toop-helth, Cloth.
Cbam-raass, Froit.
Cham-mass-* < Sweet or pleiMuit
ish, I to the taste.
Moot-SOS, Powder.
Chee-pokes, Copper.
Hab-welks, Hoogrr.
Nee-sim-mer-hise, Eaoogfa.
Chit-ta-yek, Knife or da^er.
Rioa.
Smoke.
Gooeeordock.
To blow.
Een^i-qoi-dut-tfe. | '^ ftj^ '
Ar-teese, To bathe.
Ma-mook-so-mah, To go to fish
Ar-sroootish- > * ,^,.4«,
check-up, JAwamor.
Cba-alt-aee-klat- < Go off, or fo
tur-wab, J away.
Ma-kook, To wll.
Oo-nah, How maar.
I-yab-isb, Maea.
Kom-me-tak, I onderstaad.
Em-me-cbap, To plaT.
Kle-wbar, To Uogfa.
Kah-ab-cob,
Sah-wauk,
Att-la,
Kat-sa>
Mooh,
Soo-cbab,
Noo-poo,
At-tle-poo,
At-lali-quekb,
8aw-wauk-quelth»
Hy-o,
Sak-aits,
Soo-jewk,
Hy-e-oak,
Brinait.
One.
Two.
Three.
Foar.
FiTe.
Six
Seven.
Eiffbt.
Nine.
Ten.
Twenty.
One hundred.
One tboosand.
d by Google
Names of the Crew of the Ship Boston^ belonging to
Boston in Massachusetts, owned by Messrs, F, fy T.
Jimory, Merchants of that place — All of whom ex-
eepting two, were on the 22d ofMarch, 1803, W6or-
ously murdered by the Savages at Nootka.
John Salter,
B. Delouissa,
William Ingraham,
Edward Thorapaon ,
Adam Siddle,
Philip Brown,
John DorChy,
Abraham Water*,
Francis Duffield,
of Boston,
Do.
of New-York,
of Blytb, (England,)
of Hull, Do.
of Cambridge, (Mass.)
of Scituate, Do.
of Philadelphia, .
of Penton, (England,)
John Wilson; (blackman) of Virginia,
WiUhun Caldwell,
Joseph Miaer,
William Robinson,
Thomas Wilson,
Andrew Kelly,
Robert Burton,
James M'Clay,
Tiioffias Flatten,
Thomas Newton,
Charles Bates,
John Hall,
Samuel Wood,
Peter Alstrom,
Francis Marten,
of Boston,
of N*wbtti*yporl<, '
of Leigh, (Scotland,)
of Air, Do.
Do. Do.
of the Isle of Man,
of Dublin,
of Blakeney, Norfolk, Eng. Do.
of Hull, Do. Do.
of St. James Deeping, Do.
of New-Castle, Do.
of Glasgow, (Scotland,)
Norwegian,
Portuguese,
C!aptain.
C!hief-Mate.
SecQnd-Mate.
Boatsiii^n.
Carpenter.
Joiner.
Blacksmith.
Steward.
Tailor.
Cook.
Seaman^
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
„ , Do.
Japiter Senegal, (blackman) Do.
JoBD Thompson, Philadelphia, SaiJ-BIaker,
who escaped — since dead.
John R. Jewitt, of Boston, in England, Armourer,
die writer of the Journal from whence this Narrative is taken, and
who at i>reeent, July, 1815, resides in Middktown, in the Sute of
Connecticut.
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
\
NARRATIVE OP JOHN R. JEWITT.
I WAS born In Boston, a considerable borough
town in Lincolnshire, in Great-Britain, on the 21st
of MajF, 1783. My father, Edward Jewitt, was
by trade a blacksmith, and esteemed among tho
first in his line of business in that place. At the
age of three years I had the misfortune to lose my
mother, a most excellent woman, who died in
child-bed, leaving an infant daughter, who, with
myself, and an elder brother by a former marriage
of my father, constituted the whole of our family.
My father who considered a good education as the
greatest blessing he could bestow on his children,
was very particular in paying every attention, to us
in that respect, always exhorting us to behave well,
and endeavouring to impress on our minds the
principles of virtue and morality, and no expense
in his power was spared to have us instructed in
whatever might render us useful and respectable
in society. My brother, who was four years old-
er than myself, and of a more hardy constitution,
he destined "for his own trade, but to me he had
resolved to give an education superior to that
which is to be obtained in a common school, it be-
ing his intention that I should adopt one of the
learned professions. Accordingly at the age of
twelve he took me from the school in which I had
been taught the fiist rudiments of learning, and
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
8 jewitt's narrative.
E laced me under the care of Mr. Moses, a cele-
rated teacher of an academy at Donmngton,
about twenty miles from Boston, in order to be
instructed in the Latin language, and in some of
the higher branches of tlie Mathematics. I there
made considerable proficiency in writing, reading,
^ and arithmetic, and obtained a pretty good knowl-
edge of navigation and of surveying; but my pro-
gress in Latin was slow, not only owing to die lit-
de'inclination I felt for learning that language, but
to a natural impediment in mv speech, which ren-
dered it extremely difficult tor me to pronounce
it, so that in a short time, with my father's con-
sent, I wholly rehnquished the study.
The period of my stay at this place Was the
most happy of my life. My preceptor, Mr. Moses,
was not only a learned, but a virtuous, benevolent,
and amiable man, universally beloved by his pu-
pils, who took delight in his instruction, and to
whom he allowed every proper amusement, that
consisted with attention to their studies.
One of the principal pleasures I enjoyed was
in attending the fair, which is regiJarly held twice
a year at Donnington, in the spring and in the fall;
the second day being wholly devoted to selling
horses, a prodigious number of which are brought
thither for that purpose. As the scholars on these
occasions were always indulged with a holiday, I
cannot express with what eargemess of youthjfiii
expectation I used to anticipate these fairs, nor
what delight I felt at the various shows, exhibitions
of wild beasts, and other entertainments that they
presented. I was frequently visited by my father,
who always discovered much joy on seeing me,
praised me for my acquirements, and usually left
me a small sum for my pocket expenses.
Digitized by Google
I
Among the scholars at this academy, there was
ene nained Charies Rice, with whom I formed t
particular intimacy, which contimied during the
whole of my stay. He was my class and room
mate, and as the town he came from, Ashby, was
more than sixty miles off, instead of returning
home, he used frequendy during the vacation, to
go with me to Boston, where he always met with
a cordial welcome from my father, who received
me on these occasions with the greatest affection,
apparendy taking much pride in me. My friend
in return used to take me with him to an uncle of
his in Donnmgton, a very wealthy man, who, hav-
ing no children of his own, was very fond of his
nephew, and on his account I was always a wel-
come visitor at the house. I had a good voice,
and an ear for music, to which I was always pas-
sicmately attached, though my father endeavoured
to discourage this propensity, considering it, (as
is too frequently the case) but an introduction to
a life of idleness and dissipation, and having been
remarked for my singing at church, which was
regularly attended on Sundays and Festival days
by the scholars, Mr. Morthrop, my friend Rice's
iiu^le, used frequently to request me to sing; he
was always pleased with my exhibitions of this
kind, and it was no doubt one of the means that
secured me so gracious a reception at his house*
A number of other gentlemen in the place would
smnetimes send for me to sing at iheir houses,
and as I was not a litde vain of my vocal powers,
I was much gratified on receiving these invita-
tions, and accepted them with the greatest pleasure.
Thus passed" away the two happiest years of my
life, when my father, thinking diat I had received
a sufficient education for the profession he intend-
gigitized by Google
10 JEWITT*S NARRATIVE.
ed me for, took me from school at Donnlngton in
order to apprentice me to Doctor Mason, a sur-
geon of eminence at Reasby, in the neighbour-
hood of the* celebrated Sir Joseph Banks. With
regret did I part from my school acquaintance,
particularly riiy friend Rice, and returned home
with my father, on a short visit to my family, pre-
paratory to my intended apprenticeship. The
disincUnation I ever had felt for the profession my
father wished me to pursue, was still further in-
creased on my return. When a child I was al-
ways fond of being in the shop, among the work-
men, endeavouring to imitate what I saw them do;
this disposition so far increased after my leaving
the academy, that I could not bear to hear the
least mention made of my being apprenticed to a
surgeon, and I used so many entreaties with my
father to persuade him to give up this plan and
learn me his own trade, that he at last consented.
More fortunate would it probably have been for
me, had I gratified the wishes of this affectionate
f)arent, in adopting the profession he had chosen
or me, than thus induced him to sacrifice them
to mine. However it might have been, I was fit
length introduced into the shop, and my natural
turn of mind corresponding with the employinent,
I became m a short time uncommonly expert at
the work to which I was set. I now felt myself
well contented, pleased with my occupation, and
treated with much affection by my father and kind-
ness by my step-mother, my father havmg once
more entered the state of matrimony, with a wid-
ow much younger than himself, who had been
brought up in a superior manner, and was an ami-
able and sensible woman.
About a yewr after I bad commenced this ap-
Digitized by VjOOQIC
r
jewitt's narrative. 11
prenticeship, my father finding that he could cany
on his business to more advantage in Hull, remov-
ed thither with his family. An event of no little
importance to me, as it in a ^eat measure influ-
enced my future destiny. Hull being one of the
best ports in England, and a place of great trade,
my father had there full employment for his nu-
merous workmen, particularly in vessel work.
This naturally leading me to an acquaintance with
the sailors on board some of the ships, the many
remarkable stories they told me of their voyages
and adventures, and of the manners and customs
of the nations they had seen, excited a strong
wish in me to visit foreign countries, which was
increased by my reading the voyages of Capt.
Cook, and some other celebrated navigators.
Thus passed the four years that I Uved at Hull,
where my father was esteemed by all who knew
him, as a worthy, industrious, and thriving man.
At this period a circumstance occurred wfich af-
forded me the opportunity I had for some time
wished, of gratifying my inclination of going abroad.
Among our principal customers at Hull, were
the Americans who frequented that port, and from
whose conversation, my father as well as myself
formed the most favourable opinion of that coun-
try, as affording an excellent field for the exertions
of industry, and a flattering prospect for the estab-
lishment of a young man in life. In the summer
of the year 1802, during the peace between Eng-
land and France, the ship Boston, belonging to
Boston, in Massachusetts, and commanded by
Capt. John Salter, arrived at HuD, whither she
came to take on board a cargo of such goods as
were wanted for the trade, widi the Indians on the
North- West coast of America, from whence, after
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
12 JEWITT's NARRATtTE. i
having taken in a lading of furs and skins, she was
lo proceed to China, and from thence home to .
America. The ship, havmg occasion for many
repairs and alterations, necessary for so long a
voyage, the captain applied to my father to do the
smith work, which was very considerable. That
gentleman, who was of a social turn, used oftea
to call at my father's house, where he passed ma-
ny of his evenings, with his chief and second
mates, Mr. B. Delouisa, and Mr. William Ingra-
ham, the latter a fine young man of about twenty, "
of a most amiable temper, and of such afiable
manners, as gained him the love and attachment
of our whole crew. These gentlemen used occa-
sionally to take me with them, to the theatre, an
amusement which I was very fond of, and which
my father rather encouraged than objected to, as
'he thought it a good means of preventing young
men who are naturally inclined to seek for some-
thing to amuse them, from frequenting taverns,
ale houses, and places of bad resort, equally de-
structive of the health and morals, while the stage
frequently furnishes excellent lessons of morality
and good conduct.
In the evenings that he passed at my father's,
Captain Salter, who had for a great number of
years been at sea, and seen almost all parts of tiie
world, used sometimes to speak of his voyages,
and observing me listen with much attention to his
relations, he one day when I had brought hin^
some work, said to me in' rather a jocose manner^
John, how should you like to go with me.^ I an- •
swered that it would give me great pleasure, that
I had for a long time wished to visit foreign coun-
tries, particularly America, which I liad been t^d
so many fine stories of, and that if nr/: father would
Digitized by VjOOQ IC
JEWITT'f KABEATITE. IS
give his consent and he was willii^ to take me
with him, I would go. I shall be very glad to
do it, said he, if your father can be prevailed on
to let you go, and as I want an expert smith for
an armourer, the one I hare shipped for that pnr-
Dose not being sufficiently master of his tradey I
have no doubt that you will answer my turn well,
te I perceive you are both active and ingenious;
tnd on my return to America, I shall probably be
ibleto do something much better for you in Bos-
ton. I will take the first opportunity of speaking
to your father about it, and try to persuade him to
consent. He accordingly the i^xt evening that
he called at our house introduced the subject: my
father at first would not listen to the proposal.
That best of parents, diough anxious for my ad-
vtfiti^eous establishment in life, could not bear to
diink of partuig with me, but on Capt. Salter's
telling him of what benefit it would be to me to
go the voyage with him, and that it was a pi^ to
keep a promising and ingemous young fellow, like
myseh\ coi^ned to a small shop in England, when
if I had tolerable success, I might do so much
better in America, where wages were much higher
and living cheaper, he at length gave up his ob-
jections and consented that I shoidd ship on board
the Boston as an armourer, at the rate of thirty
' dollars per month; with an agreement that the
aiiK>unt due me, together with a certain simi of
money which my father gave Capt. Salter for that
purpose, should be kid out by him on the North-
West Coast in the purchase of furs on my account,
to be disposed of in China for such goods as would
yield a profit on the return of the ship; my father
being solicitous to give me every advantage in his
power, of well establishing myself in my trade in
2 Digitized by Google
I-
i
14 jewitt's narrative.
Boston or some other maritime town of America.
Such were the flattering expectations which this
good man indulged respecting me. Alas ! the fatal
disaster that befel us, not only blasted all these
hopes, but involved me in extreme distress and
'Wretchedness for a long period after.
The ship having undergone a thorough repair and
been well coppered, proceeded to take on board
her cargo, which consisted of English cloths,
Dutch blankets, looking glasses, beads, knives,
razors, &c. which were received from Holland,
some sugar and molasses, about twenty hogsheads
of rum, including stores for the ship, a great
quantity of ammunition, cutlasses, pistols, and three
thousand muskets and fowling pieces. The ship
being loaded and ready for sea, as I was prepar-
mg for my departure, my father came to me, and
taking me aside, said to me with much emotion,
John, I am now going to part with you, and heav-
en only knows if we shall ever again meet. But
in whatever part of the world you are, always
bear it in mind, that on your own conduct will
depend your success in life. Be honest, indus-
trious, frugal, and temperate, and you will not
fail, in whatsoever country it nwiy be your lot to
be placed, to gain yourself friends. Let the
Bible be your guide, and your rehance in any
fortune that may befall you, that Almighty Being,
who knows how to bring forth good from evU,
and who never deserts those who put their trust in
him. He repeated his exhortations to me to lead
an honest and a christian life, and to recollect that
I had a father, a mother, a brother, and sister,
who could not but feel a strong interest in my
welfare, enjoining me to write him by the first
opportunity that should offer to Endand, firom
Digitized b7t3DOgie
jewitt's narratitb. 15
whatever part of the world I might be in, more
particularly on my arrival in Boston. This I
promised to do, but long unhappily was it before
I was able to fulfill this promise. I then took an
affectionate leave of my worthy parent, whose
feelings would hardly permit hun to speak, and
bidding an affectionate farewell to my brother, sis-
ter, and step-mother, who expressed the greatest
solicitude for my future fortune, went on board
the ship, which proceeded to the Downs to be
ready for the first favourable wind. I found my-
self well accommodated on board as regarded my
work, an iron forge having been erected on deck;
this my father had made for the ship on a new
plan, for which he afterwards obtained a patent;
while a comer of the steerage was appropriated
to my vice bench, so that in bad weather I could
work below.
On the third day of September, 1802, we
sailed from the Downs with a fair wind, in com-
psttiy with twenty-four sail of American vessels,
most of which were bound home.
I was sea-sick for a few of the first days, but it
was of short continuance, and on my recovery I
found myself in uncommonly fine health and spir-
its, and went to work with alacrity at my forge,
in putting in order some of the muskets, and mak-
ing daggers, knives, and small hatchets for the
Indian trade, while in wet and stormy weather I
was occupied below in filing and polishing them.
This was my employment, having but little to do
with saihng the vessel, though I used occasionally
to lend a hand in assisting the seamen in taking in
and making sail. As I had never before been out
of sight of land, I cannot describe my sensations,
d by Google
10 jewitt's narrative.
after I had recovered from the distressing effects
of sea-sickness, on viewing the mighty ocean by
which I was surrounded, bounded only by the sky; -
wliile its waves rising in mountains, seemed every
moment to threaten our ruin. Manifest as is the
hand of Providence in preserving its creatures
from destruction, in no instance is it more so than
on the great deep; for whether we consider in its
tumultuary motions the watery deluge that each
moment menaces to overwhelm us, the immense
violence of its shocks, the little that interposes
between us and death, a single plank forming our
only security, which, shoidd it unfortunately be
loosened would plunge us at once into the abyss,
our gratitud^ ought strongly to be excited towards
that superintendmg Deity who in so wonderful a
manner sustains our lives amid the waves.
We had a pleasant and favourable passage of
♦wenty-nine days to the Island of St. Catharine
on the coast of Brazils, where the Captain haU de-
termined to stop for a few days to wood and wa-
ter. This place belongs to die Portuguese. On
entering the harbour we were saluted by the fort,
which we returned. The next day the Governor
of the Island came on board of us with his suite;
Captain Salter received him with much respect
and invited him to dine with him, which, he ac-
cepted. The ship remained at St. Cadiarine's
four days, during which time, we were busily em-
ployed in taking in wood, water, and fresh provis-
ions. Captain Salter tliinking it best to furnish
himself here with a full supply for his voyage to
the North- West coast, so as not to be obliged to
stop at the Sandwich Islands. St. Catharine is a
very commodious place for vessels to stop at that
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
JEWrrx's KARRATITK. 17
are bound round Cape Horn, as it abounds with
springs of fine water, with excellent oranges,
plaQtains, and bananas.
Having completed our stores we put to sea, and
on the twenty-fifth of December at length passed
Cape Horn, which we had made no less than
thirty-six days before, but were repeatedly forced
back by contrary winds, experiencing very rough
and tempestuous weather in doubling it.
Immediately after passing Cape Horn, all our dan-
gers and difficidties seemed to be at an end; the
weather became fine and so httle labour was ne-
cessary on board the ship that the men soon re-
covered from their fatigue and were in excellent
spirits. A few days after we fell in with an Eng-
lish South Sea Whaling Ship, homeward bound,
which was the only vessel we spoke with on our
voyage. We now took the trade wind or mon-
soon, during which we enjoyed the finest weather
possible, so that for the space of a fortnight we
were not obhged to reeve a topsail or to make a
tack, and so light was the duty and easy the life
of the sailors during this time, that they appeared
the happiest of any people in the world.
Captain Salter, who. had been for many years
in the East-India trade, was a most excellent sea-
man, and preserved the strictest order and disci-
pline on board his ship, though he was a man of
mild temper and conciliating manners, and dispos-
ed to allow every indulgence to his men, not in-
consistent with their duty. We had on board a
fine band of music, with which on Saturday nights,
when the weather was pleasant, we were accus-
tomed to be regaled, the Captain ordering them to
play for several hours for the amusement of the
crew. This to me was most delightful, especially
£* itized by Google
18 JEWITT*d KARRATIYE.
during the serene evenings we experienced in tra-
versing tlie Southern Ocean. As for myself,
during the day I was constandy occupied at my
forge, in re-fitting or repairing some of the iron
work of the vessel, but principally in making tom-
aliawks, daggers, &c. for the North West coast.
During the first part of our voyage we saw
scarcely any fish, excepting some whales, a few
sharks, and flying fish; but after weathering Cape
Horn we met with nimierous shoals of sea por-
poises, several of whom we caught, and as we
had been for some time without fresh provisionsr, ^
I found it not only a palatable but really a very '
excellent food. To one who has never before
seen them, a shoal of these fish presents a very
striking and singular appearance; beheld at a distance
coming towards a vessel they look not unlike a
great number of small black waves rolling over
one another in a confused manner and approaching
with great swiftness. As soon as a shoal is seen
all is bustle and activity on board the ship, the
grains and the harpoons are inmiediately got ready,
and those who are best skilled in throwing them
take their stand at the bow and along the gunwale
anxiously awaiting the welcome troop as they come
gamboling and blowing around the vessel, in search
of food. When pierced with the harpoon and
drawn on board, unless the fish is instandy killed
by the stroke, which rarely happens, it utters most
pitiful cries, greatly resembling those of an infant.
The flesh cut into steaks and broiled, is not unlike
very coarse beef, and the harslet in appearance
and taste is so much like that of a hog, that k
would be no easy matter to distinguish the one
fi:t)m the other; from this circumstance the sailoH
k:>ve given the n^ne of the herring h6g to this fisib;
jewitt's nareatitk. 19
I was told by some of the crew, that if one of
them happens to free itself from the grains or bar-
poons, when struck, all the others, attracted by
the blood, inmiediately quit the riiip and give
chase to the wounded one, and as soon as they
overtake it immediately te^ir it in pieces. We al-
so caught a large shark, which had followed the
ship for several days with a hook which I made
ior the purpose, and although the flesh was by no
means equal to that of the herring hog, yet to
those destitute as we were of any thing fresh, I
foimd it eat very well. After passing the Cape
when the sea had become calm we saw great
numbers of Albatrosses, a large brown and white
iMrd of the goose kind, one of which Captain
Salter shot, whose wings measured from their ex-
tremities fifteen feet. One thing, however, I
must not omit mentioning, as it struck me in a
most singular and extraordinary manner. This
was, that on passing Cape Horn in December,
which was mid summer m that climate, the nights
were so light, without any moon, that we found
no difficulty whatever in redding smaD print which
we frequently did during our watches.
In this manner, with a fair wind and easy weath-
er from the 28th of December, the period of our
etssing Cape Horn, we pursued our voyage to the
orthward until the 12th of March 1803, when
we made Woody Point in Nootka Sound on the
^forth West Coast of America. We immediately
stood up the Sound for Nootka, where Captain
Salter had determined to stop, in order to supply
the ship with wood and water before proceeding up
the coast to trade. But in order to avoid the risk
of any molestation or interruption to his men from
the Indians, while thus employed, he proceeded
Digitized by Google
20
jewitt's narrative.
with the ship about five miles to the Northward of
the village, which is situated on Friendly Cove,
and sent out his chief mate with several of the crew
in the boat to find a good place for anchoring her.
— After sounding for some time they returned with
information that they had discovered a secure place
for anchorage, on the Western side of an inlet or
small bay at about half a mile from the coast, near
a small island which protected it from the sea, and
where there was a plenty of wood and excellent wa-
ter. The ship accordingly came to anchor in this
place, at twelve o'clock at night, in twelve fathom
water, muddy bottom, and so near the shore that to
prevent the ship from winding we secured her by
a hauser to the trees. On the mommg of the next
The arrival of the Boston, at Nootka Sound.
day,' the thirteenth, several of the natives came on
board in a canoe from the village of Nootka, with
their king, called Maquina, who appeared much
pleased on seeing us, and with great seeming cor-
diality, welcomed Capt. Salter and his officers to
his country. As I had never before beheld a sav-
itized by Google
JEVflTT's IfARRATITE. * SI
age of any nation, it may readily be supposed that
the novelty of their appearance, so di^ent from
any people that I had hitherto seen, excited in me
strong feelings of surprise and curiosity. I was,
however, particularly struck with the looks of their
king, who was a man of a dignified aspect, about
six feet in height and extremely strait and well
proportioned; his features were in general good
and his face was rendered remaricable by a large
Roman nose, a very uncommon form of featiure
among these people; his complexion was of a dark
cc^per hue, though his face, legs, and arms were
on this occasion, so covered with red paint, that
their natural colour could scarcely be perceived, his
qre-brows were painted black in two broad stripes
like a new moon, and his long black hair, which
shone with oil, was fastened in a bunch on the top
of his head and strewed or powdered all over with
white down, which gave him a most curious and
extraordinary appearance. He was dressed in a
kffge mantle or cloak of the black sea otter skin,
which reached to his knees, and was fastened
around liis middle by a broad belt of the cloth
of the country, wrought, or painted with figures
of several colours; this dress was by no means un-
becoming, but on the contrary had an aur of sav«
age magnificence. His men were habited in
mantles of the same cloth, which is made from the
bark of a tree, and has some resemblance to straw
matting, these are nearly square and have two holes
m the upper part large enough to admit the arms —
they reach as low as the Imees, and are fastened
around their bodies with a belt about four inches
broad of the same cloth.
From his having frequently visited the English
and American ships that traded to the coast, Ma-
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
22 * jewitt's narrative.
quina had learned the signification of a number of
English words, and in general could make himself
pretty well understood by us in our own language.
He was always the first to go on board such ships
as came to Nootka, which he was much pleased
in visiting, even when he had no trade to offer, as
he almost always received some small present, and
was in general extremely well treated by the com-
manders. He remained on board of us for some
time during which the captain took him into the
cabin and treated him with a glass of rum; these
people being very fond of distilled spirits, and
some biscuit and molasses which they prefer to
any kind of food that we can offer them.
As there are seldom many furs to be purchased
at this place, and it was not fully the season, Capt.
Salter had put in here not so much with an expec-
tation of trading as to procure an ample stock of
wood and water for the supply of the ship on the
coast, thinking it more prudent to take it on board
at Nootka, from the generally firiendly disposition
of the people, than to endanger the safety of his
men in sending them on shore for tliat purpose
among the more ferocious natives of the north.
With tliis view, we immediately set about getting
our water casks in readiness, and the next and two
succeeding days part of the crew were sent on
shore to cut pine timber and assist the carpenter
in making it into yards and spars for the ship',
while those on board were employed in refitting
the rigging, repairing the sails, &c. when we pro-
ceeded to take in our wood and water as expedi-
tiously as possible, during which time I kept my-
self busily employed in repairing tlie muskets,
making knives, tomaxes, &c. and doing such iron
work as was wanted for the ship. Meantime more
Digitized by Google
JEWITT*S NARRATIVE. 23
or less of the natives came on board of us daily,
bringing with them fresh salmon with which ihey
supplied us in great plenty, receiving in return
some trifling articles. Capt. Salter was alwaj's
?eiy particular before admitting these people on
board to see that they had no arms about them,
by obliging them indiscriminately to throw off their
garments, so that he felt perfectly secure from any
attack. On the fifteenth the king came on board
with several of his chiefs; he was dressed as be-
fore in his magnificent otter skin robe, having his
face highly painted, and his hair tossed off with
the white down wMch looked like snow; his
chiefs were dressed ir martles of the country
cloth of its natural colour, which is a pale yellow;
these were ornamented with a broad border paint-
ed or wrought in figures of several colours repre-
senting men's heads, various animals, &c. and se-
cured around them by a belt like that of the king
from which it was distinguished only by being
narrower: the dress of the common people is of
the same fashion and differs from that of the chiefs
in being of a coarser texture and pmnted red, of
one uniform colour.
Captain Salter invited Maquina and his chiefs
to dine with him, and it was curious to see how
these people (when they eat) seat themselves (in
their country fashion upon our chairs) with flieir
feet under them crossed like Turks. They can-
not endure the taste of salt, and the only thing
they would eat with us was the ship bread which
they were very fond of, especially when dipped in
molasses ; they had also a great liking for tea and
coffee when well sweetened. As iron weapons
and tools of ahnost every kind are in much request
among them, whenever they came on board they
Digitized by Google
24 JEWITT's NARRiiTiyE.
were always very attentive to me, crowding around
me at the forge, as if to see in what manner I did
my work, and in this way became quite familiar,
a circumstance, as will be seen in the end, of
great importance to me. The salmon which they
brought us furnished a most delicious treat to men
who for a long time had lived wholly on salt pro-
visions excepting such few sea fish as we had the
good fortune occasionally to take. We indeed
feasted most luxuriously, and flattered ourselves
that we should not want while on the coast for
plenty of fresh provisions, little imagining the fate
that awaited us, and that this dainty food was to
prove the unfortunate lure to our destruction! On
the nineteenth, the king came again on board and
was invitied by the Captain to dme with him. He
had much conversation with Capt. Salter, and in-
formed him that there were plenty of wild ducks
and geese near Friendly Cove, on which the Cap-J
tain made him a present of a double-barreled fowl-
mg piece with which he appeared to be greatly
pleased and soon after went on shore.
On the 20th we were nearly ready for our de-
parture, having taken in what wood and water wo
were in want of.
The next day Maquma came on board with
nine pair of wild ducks, as a present, at the same
time he brought with him the gun, t>ne<)f the locks
of which he had broken, telling the Captain that it
was peshak^ that is bad; Capt. Salter wds very
much offended at this observation, and consider-
.ing it as a mark of contempt for his present, he
csSled the king a liar, adding other opprobrious
terms, and taking the gun fi-om him tossed it in- =
dignantly into the cabin and calling me to him said, 4
* John, this fellow has broken this beautiful fowl- 1
Dinitizfid hv f
jewitt's harratite. 35
log piece, see if you can mend it:' on examining
it I told him that it could be done. — As I have
already observed, Maquina knew a number of
English words, and unfortunately understood but
too well the meaning of the reproachful terms that
me Captain addressed to him. — He said not a
word in reply, but his cquntenance sufficiently ex-
pressed the rage he felt, though he exerted him-
self to suppress it, and I observed him while the
Captain was speaking repeatedly put his hand to
his throat and rub it upon his bosom, which he
afterwards told me was to keep down his heart
which was rising inta his throat and choaking him.
He soon after went on shore with his men, evi-
dently much discomposed.
On the morning of the 22d the natives came off
to us as usual with salmon, and remamed on board,
when about noon Maquina came along side with a
considerable number of his chiefs and men in their
canoes, who, after going through the customary
examination were admitted into die ship. He had
a whistle in his hand, and over his face a very ug-
ly mask of wood representing the head of some
wild beast, appeared to be remarkably good hu-
moured and gay, and whilst his people sung and
capered about the deck, entertaining us with a va-
riety of antic tricks and gestures, he blew his
whistle to a kind of tune which seemed to regulate
their motions. As Capt. Salter was walking on
the quarter deck amusing himself with their danc-
ing, the king came up to him and enquired when
he mtended to go to sea? — ^he answered, to-mor-
row. — Maquina then said, 'you love salmon —
much in Friendly Cove, why not go then and
catch some?' — The Captain thought fliat it would
be very desirable to have a good supply of these
S Digitized by Google
26 jewitt's narrative.
fish for the voyage, and on consulting with Mr
Delouisa it was agreed to send part of the crew
on shore after dinner with the seine in order to
procure a quantity — Maquina and his chiefs staid
and dmed on board, and after dinner the chief
mate went off with nine men in tlie jolly boat and
yawl to fish at Friendly Cove, having set the
steward on shore at our watering place to wash
the captain's clothes. Sliortly alter the departure
of the boats I went down to my vice-bench in the
steerage, where I was employed in cleaning musk-
ets. I had not been there more than an hour
when I heard the men hoisting in the long boat,
which, in a few minutes after, was succeeded by
u great bustle and confusion on deck. I immedi-
ately ran up the steerage stairs, but scarcely was
my head above deck, when I was caught by the
hair by one of the savages, and lifted from my
feet; fortunately for me, my hair being short, and
the ribbon with which it was tied slipping, I fell
from his hold into the steerage. As I was fialling,
he struck at me with an axe, which cut a deep
gash in my forehead, and penetrated the skull, but
in consequence of his losing his hold, I luckily es-
caped the full force of the blow; which, otherwise,
would have cleft my head in two. I fell, stunned
and senseless upon the floor — ^how long I continu-
ed in this situation I know not, but on recovering
my senses the first thing that I did, was to try to
get up; but so weak was I, from the loss of blood,
that I fainted and fell. I was however soon re-
called to my recollection by three loud shouts or
yells from the savages, which convinced me that
they had got possession of the ship. It is impos-
sible for me to describe my feelings at this terrific
sound. — Some faint iHa« vtmjr he loimed of tVio*v%
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
MWlTT*f NARRATITI. 27
by those who have known what it is to half waken
from a hideous dream and still think it real. Nev-
er, no, never, shall I lose from my mind, the im-
pression of that dreadful moment. I expected
every instant to share the wretched fate of my un-
fortunate companions, and when I heard the song
of triumph, by which these infernal yells was suc-
ceeded, my blood ran cold in my veins. Havmg
at lengdi sufficiently recovered my senses to look
around me after wiping the blood from my eyes, I
s&*v^ that the hatch of the steerage was shut. This
was done, as I afterwards discovered, by order of
Maquina, who, on seeing the savage strike at me
with the axe, told him not to hurt me, for that I
was the armourer, and would be useful to them in
repairing their arms; while at the same time to
prevent any of his men from injuring me, he had
the hatch closed. But to me this circumstance
wore a very different appearance, for I thought
that these barbarians had only prolonged my life
in order to deprive me of it by the most cruel tor-
tures. I remained in this horrid state of suspense
for a very long time, when at length the hatch was
opened, and Maquina, calling me by name, order-
ed me to come up. I groped my way up as well
as I was -able, being^almost blinded with the blood
that flowed from my wound, and so weak as with
difficulty to walk. The king, on perceiving my
situation, ordered one of his men to bring a pot
of water to wash the blood from my face, which
having done, I was able to see distinctly with one
of my eyes, but the other was so swollen from my
wound, that it was closed. But what a terrific
spectacle met my eyes; six naked savages, stand-
ing in a circle around me, covered with the blood
of my murdered comrades, with their daggers up-
Digitized by Google
28 jewitt's narrative.
lifted in their hands, prepared to strike. I now
thought my last moment had come, and recom-
mended my soul to my Maker. — The king, who,
as I have already observed, knew enough of Eng-
lish to make himself understood, entered the cir-
cle, and placing himself before me, addressed me
nearly in the following words — "John — I speak
— you no say no — You say no — daggers come!"
He then asked me if I would be his slave during
my life — If I would fight for him in his battles —
If I would repair his muskets and make dagge-s
and knives for him — ^with several other questions,
to all of which I was careful to answer, yes. He
then told me that he would spare my life, and or-
dered me to kiss his hands and feet to show my
submission to him, which I did. — In the mean time
his people were very clamorous to have me put to
death, so that there should be none of us left to
tell our story to our countrymen and prevent them
from coming to trade with them; but the king, in
the most determined manner opposed their wishes,*
and to his favour am I wholly indebted for my be-
ing yet among the living. As I was busy at work
at the time of the attack, I was without my coat,
and what with the coldness of the weather, my
feebleness from loss of blood, the pain of my
Wound and the extreme agitation and terror that I
still felt, I shook like a leaf, which the king ob-
serving, went into the cabin and bringing up a
great coat that belonged to the captain, tlirew it
over my shoulders, telling me to drink some rum
from a bottle which he handed me at the same
time, giving me to understand that it would be
good for me and keep me from trembling as I did.
I took a draught of it, after which, taking me by
the hand, he led me to the quarter deck, where
Digitized by VjOOQ IC
89
the most horrid sight presented itself that .ever my
eyes witnessed — the heads of our unfortunate Cap-
tain and his crew, to the numher of twenty-five,
were all arranged in a line, and Maquina ordering
one of his people to bring a head, asked me whose
it was: I answered, the Captain's; in like manner
the others were showed me, and I told him the
names, excepting a few that were so horribly man-
gled that I was not able to recognize them. I
now discovered that all our unfortunate crew had
been massacred, and learned that after getting pos-
session of the ship, the savages had broke open
the arm chest and magazine, and supplying them-
selves with ammunition and arms, sent a party on
shore to attack our men who had gone thither to
fish, and being joined by numbers from the village,
without difliculty overpowered and murdered
them, and cutting off their heads, brought tliem
on board, after throwing tlieir bodies into the sea.
On looking upon the deck, I saw it entirely cov-
ered with the blood of my poor comrades, whose
throats had been cut with their o\vn jack-knives,
the savages having seized the opportunity while
they were busy in hoisting in the boat to grapple
with /them and overpower them by their numbers;
in the scuflle the captain was thrown overboard
and despatched by those in the canoes, who imme-
diately cut off his head : What I felt on this occa-
sion, may be more readily conceived than ex-
pressed.
After I had answered his questions, Maquina
took my silk handkerchief from my neck and bound
it around my head, placing over the wound a leaf
of tobacco, of which we had a quantity on board.
This was done at my desire, as I had often found
3*
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
90 jewitt's narrative.
from personal experience the benefit of this appli-
cation to cuts.
Maquina then ordered me to get the ship under
weigh for Friendly Cove. This I did by cutting
the cables and sending some of the natives aloft to
loose the sails, which they performed in a very
bungling manner. But tliey succeeded so far in
loosing the jib and topsails, that, with the advan-
tage of a fair wind, I succeeded in getting the ship
into the Cove, where, by order of the King, I ran
her aihore on a sandy beach, at 8 o'clock at niglit.
We were received by the inhabitants of tlie vil-
lage, men, women, and children, with loud shouts
of joy, and a most horrible drumming with sticks
upon the roofs and sides of their houses, in which
they had also stuck a great number of lighted pine
torches, to welcome their king's return and con-
gratulate him on the success of his enterprize*
Maquina then took me on shore to his hquse,
which was very large and filled with people —
where I was received with much kindness by the
women, particularly those belonging to the king,
who had no, less than nine wives, all of whom
came around me expressing much sympathy for my
misfortune, gently stroking and patting my head in
an encouraging and soothing manner, with words
expressive of condolence. How sweet is compas-
sion even from savages? — Those who have been
in a similar situation, can alone truly appreciate its
value.
In the mean time, all the warriors of the tribe,
to the number of five hundred, had assembled at
the king's house to rejoice for their success.
They exulted greatly in having taken our ship,
and each one boasted of his own particular exploits,
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JEWITT'8 IfAMMATIVC. 31
in killing our men, but they were m geneial much
dissatisfied with my having been suffered to live,
and were very urgent with Maquina to deliver me
to them to be put to death, which he obstinately re-
vised to do, telling them that he had promised me
my life and would not break his word;^and that
besides, I knew how to repair and to make arms,
and should be of great use to them.
The king then seated me by him and ordered
his women to bring him something to eat, when
diey set before him some dried clams and train
oil, of which he ate very heartily, and encouraged
me to follow his example, telling me to eat much
and take a great deal of oil which would make me
strong and fat; notwithstanding his praise of this
new kind of food, I felt no disposition to indulge
in it, both the smell and taste being loathsome to
me; and bad it been otherwise, such was the pain
I endured, the agitation of my mind, and the
gloominess of ray reflections, that I should have
felt very little inclination for eating. Not satisfied
with his first refussJ to deliver me up to them, the
people again became clamorous that Maquina should
consent to my being killed, saying that not one of
us ought to be left alive to give information to
others of our countrymen and prevent them from
coming to trade or induce them to revenge the de-
struction of our ship, and they at length became so
boisterous that he caught up a large club in a pas-
sion gffid drove tliem all out of the house. During
diis scene a son of tl\e king, of about eleven years
old, attracted no doubt by the singularity of my ap-
pearance came up to me: I caressed him; he re-
turned my attentions widi much apparent pleasure,
and considering this as a fortunate opportunity to
gain the good will of the fadier, 1 took the child
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
82 jewitt's narratiye.
on my knee, and cutting the metal buttons from off
the coat I had on, I tied them around his neck.
At this he was highly delighted, and became so
much attached to me that he would not quit me.
The king appeared much pleased with my at-
• tention to his son, and telling me that it was lime
to go to sleep, directed me to lie with his son next
to liim, as he was afraid lest some of his people
would come while he was asleep and kill me with
their daggers. I lay down as he ordered me, but
neither the state of my mind nor the pain I felt
would allow me : ) sleep. About midnight I was
greatly alarmed by the approach of one of the na-
tives, who came to give information to the king
that there w^as one of the white men alive, who
had knocked him down as he went on board the
ship at night. This Maquina communicated to
me, giving me to understand that as soon as the sun
rose he should kill him. I endeavoured to per-
suade him to spare his life, but he bade me be
silent and go to sleep. I said nothing more but
lay revolving in my mind what method I could de-
vise to save the life of this man. What a con-
solation thought I, what a happiness would it
prove to me in my forlorn state among these
heathen, to have a Christian and one of my own coun
try men for a companion, and how greatly woidd
it alleviate and lighten the burden of my slavery.
As I was thinking of some plan for his preserva-
tion, it all at once came into my mind that tliis
tnsxi was probably ihe sail-maker of the ship, named
Thompson, as I had not seen his head among
those on deck, and knew that he was below at
work upon the sails not long before the attack.
Tlie more I thought of it the more probable it ap-
peared to me, and as Thompson wag a man nearV
• " • Digitized by Google
jewitt'sjjarrative. 83
forty years of age, and had an old look, I conceiv-
ed it would be easy to make him pass for my fath-
er, and by this means prevail on Maquina to spare
his life. Towards morning I fell into a doze, but
was awakened with the 6rst beams of the sun by
the king, wlio told me that he was going to kill
the man who was on board the ship, and ordered
me to accompany him. I rose and followed him,
leading with me the young prince his son.
On coming to the beach I found all the men of
tlie tribe assembled. The king addressed them,
saying that one of tlie white men had been found
alive on board tlie ship, and requested tl^eir opin-
ion as to saving his life or putting him to death.
They were unanimously for the first: This de-
termination he made known to me. Having ar-
ranged my plan, I asked him, pointing to the boy
whom I still held by the hand, if he loved his son,
he answered tliat he did; I then asked the child if
he loved his father, and on replying in the affirma-
tive, I said and *' I also love mine. " I then threw
myself on my knees at Maquina 's feet, and implor-
ed him with tears in my eyes to spare my fatlier's
life, if the man on board should prove to be him,
telling him that if he killed my father it was my
wish that he should kill me too, and that if he did
not I would kill myself, — ^and that lie would thus
lose my services; whereas, by sparing my father's
life he would preserve mine, which would be of
great advantage to him by my repairing and mak-
ing arms for him. Maquina appeared moved by
my entreaties and promised not to put the man to
death if he should be my father. He then ex-
plained to his people what I had said, and ordered
me to go on board and tell the man to come on
shore. To my unspeakable joy on ,^ing into the
34 jewitt's narrative.
hold, I found that my conjecture was true, Thomp-
son was there, he had escaped without any injury,
excepting a shght wound in the nose, given him by
one of the savages with a knife as he attempted to
come on deck, during the scu^e. Finding the
savages in possession of the ship, as he afterwards
informed me, he secreted himself in the hold, hop-
ing for some chance to make his escape — but that
the Indian who came on board in the night ap-
proaching the place where he was, he supposed
himself discovered, and being determined to sell
his life as dearly as possible, as soon as he came
within his reach, he knocked him down, but the
Indian immediately springing up, ran off at full
speed. — I informed him in a few words that all
our men had been killed; that the king had preserv-
ed my life, and had consented to spare his on the
supposition that he was mjr^ father, an opinion
which he must be careful not to undeceive them in,
as it was his only safety. After giving him his
cue, I went on shore with him and presented him
to Maquina, who immediately knew him to be the
sail-maker and was much pleased, observing that he
could make sails for his canoe. — He then took us
to his house and ordered something for us to eat.
On the 24th and 25 th the natives were busify
employed in taking the cargo out of the ship, strip-
ping her of her sails and rigging, cutting away the
spars and masts, and in short rendering her as
complete a wreck as possible, the muskets, am-
munition, cloth and all the principal articles taken
from her, being deposited in the king's house.
While they were thus occupied, each one tak-
ing what he liked, my companion and myself being
obliged to aid them, I thought it best to secure
the accounts and papers of the ship, in hopes that
jewitt's narrative* 35
jD some future day I might have it in my power to
restore them to the owners. With tliis view I
took possession of tlie Captain's wTiting desk
which contained the most of them, together with
some paper and implements for writing. I had
ako the good fortune to find a blank account book,
m which I resolved, should it be permitted me to
write an account of our capture and the most re-
markable occurrences that I should meet with dur-
ing my stay among these people, fondly indulging
the hope diat it would not be long before some
vessel would arrive to release us. I likewise
found in the cabin, a small volume of sermons, a
bible, and a common prayer book of the Church
of England, which furnished me and my comrade
great consolation in the midst of our mournful
servitude, and enabled me, under the favor of
divine providence, to support, with firmness, the
miseries of a life which I might otherwise have
found beyond my strength to endure. As these
people set no value upon things of this kind, I
found no difficulty in appropriating them to myself,
by putting them in my chest, which though it had
been broken open and rifled by the savages, as I
still had the key, I without much difficulty secur-
ed. In this I also put some small tools belonging
to the ship, with several other articles, particularly
a journal kept by tlie second mate, Mr. Ingraliam,
and a collection of drawings and views of places
taken by him, which I had the good fortune to
preserve, and on my arrival at Boston, I gave them
to a connection of his, the honorable Judge Dawes,
who sent them tp his family in New- York.
On the 26th, two ships were seen standing in
for Friendly Cove. At their first appearance tlie
inhabitants were thrown into great confusion, but
Digitized by CjOOQ iC
36
JEWITT 8 NARRATITE.
soon coDecting a number of muskets and blunder-
busses, ran to the shore, from whence they kept
up so brisk a &e at thera^that they were evidently
afraid to approach nearer, and after firing a few
rounds of grape shot which did no .harm to any
one, they wore ship and stood out to sea. These
ships, as I afterwards learned, were the Mary and
Juno of Boston.
They were scarcely out of sight when Maquina
expressed much regret that he had permitted his
people to fire at them, being apprehensive that
they would give information to others in what
manner they bad been received, and prevent them
from coming to trade with him.
A few days after hearing of the capture of the
ship, there arrived at Nootka a great number of
canoes filled with savages from no less than twenty
tribes to the North and South. AnK)ng those
from the North were the Ai-tiz-zarts, Schoo-mad-
its, Neu-wit-ties, Sa^in-nars, Ah-owz-arts, Mo-
watch-its, Suth-setts, Neu-chad-lits^ Mich-la-its
and Cay-u-quets; the most of whom were consid-
ered as tributary to Nootka. ^rom die South,
Digitized by Google
J£WITT*8 HARRATITE. 37
^ die^ytch-arts and Esquiates also tributary, with
the Kla-oo-quates, and the Wickannipish, a large
and powerful tribe about two hundred miles dis*
tant. These last were better clad than most of
the odiers, and their canoes wrought with much
greater skill; they are furnished with sails as well
as paddles, and with the advantage of a fair breeze,
wte usually but twenty-four hours on their passage.
Maquina, who was very j^ud of his new ac-
quisition, was desirous of welcoming these visitcnrs
in the European mann^. He accordingly order-
ed his mea, as the canoes approached, to assem-
ble cm the beach with loaded muskets and blunder*
busses, pkcing Thompson at the cannon which
had been brought from the ship and laid upon two
long sticks of timber in front of the village, thea
taking a speaking trumpet in his hand he ascended
with me tbe roof of his house, and began drum-
ming or beating maa the boards with a stick
most viol^tly. Nothing could be more ludi-
crous than the appearance of this motley group oi
savages coilected on die shore, dressed as they
were, with their iU-gotten finery, in the most fan-
tastic mamier, some in women's snK>cks, tak^i
from our cargo, o&ers in Kotsacks, (or cloaks)
of blue, red or yellow broadcloth, wkh stockings
drawn over their heads, and tfieir necks himg round
with numb^^s of powder-horns, shot-bags, and car-
touch-boxes, some of them having no less than ten
muskets a piece on their shoulders, and five or six
daggers in their girdles. Diverting indeed was it
to see them all squatted upon the beach, bedding
their muskets perpendicularly, with tl^ butt i^^es-
sed upon the sand instead of against their should-
ers, and in this position awaited the order to fire.
Maquina, at last, called to them with lus trumpet
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
Sd JE Witt's narratite.
to fire, which they did in the most awkward and
^imid manner, with their muskets hard pressed
upon the ground as above mentioned. At the
same moment the cannon was fired by Thomp-
son, inmiediately on which they threw themselves
back and began to roll and tumble over the sand
as if they had been shot, when suddenly springing
up they began a song of triumph and running back-
ward and forward upon the shore, with the wild-
est gesticulations, boasted of their exploits and ex-
iiibiied as trophies what they had taken from us.
Notwithstanding the unpleasantness of my situation,
and the feelings that this display of our spoils ex-
cited, I could not avoid laughing sX the strange
appearance of these savages, their awkward move-
ments, and the singular contrast of their dress and
•rms.
Wlien the ceremony was concluded, Maquina in-
vited the strangers to a feast at his house, consist-
ing of wLrfe blubber, smoked herring spawn, and
dried fish and train oil, of which ^ey eat most
plentifully. The feast being over, the trays out
of which they eat, and other things were immedi-
ately removed to make ropm for the dance which
was to close the entertainment. This was per-
formed by Maquina's son, the young prince Sat-
sat-sok^s, whom I have already spoken of, in the
following manner — Three of the principal chiefs,
drest m their otter-skin mantles, which they wore
only on exl/aordinary occasions and at festivals,
having their beads covered over with white down
and their faces highly painted, came forward into
the middle of the room, each furnished with a bag
filled with the white down, which they scattered
around in such a mani^r as to represent a fall of
^«now. These were followed by the young prince,
Digitized by Google
JCWITtU NARRATlTfi. 89
who was dressed in a long piece of yellow cloth,
wrapped loosely around him, and decorated with
small bells, with a cap on his head, to which was
fastened a curious mask in imitation of a wolTs
head, while the rear was brought up by the king
himself in his robe of sea-otter ddn, with a small
whistle in his mouth and a rattle in his hand, with
which he kept time to a sort of tune on his whis-
tle. After passing very rapidly in this order
around the house, each of them seated himself,
except the prince, who immediately began his
dance, which principally consisted in springing up
into the air in a squat posture, and constantly turn-
ing around on his heels with great swiftness in a
very narrow circle. This dance with a few inter •
vals of rest, was continued for about two hours,
during which the chiefs kept up a constant drum-
ming with sticks of about a foot in length on a long
hollow plank, which was, though a very noisy, a
most doleful kind of music. This they accom-
panied with songs, the king hnnself acting as chor-
ister, while the women applauded each feat of
activity in the dancer by repeating the words, fPo-
cash! JVocash Tyee! that is good! very good
Erince. As soon as the dance was finished Maquina
egan to give presents to the strangers in the name
of his son Sat-sat-sok-sis. These were pieces of
European cloth generally of a fathom in length,
muskets, powder, shot, &c. Whenever he gave
them any thing, they had a peculiar manner of
snatching it from him with a very stem and surly
look, repeating each time the words, Wocash Tyee.
This I understood to be their custom, and was
considered as a compliment which if omitted would
be supposed as a mark of disregard for the present.
On this occasion Maquina gave awav no less tlian
.tizedbyCOOgle
40 jiwitt's nakeatiyb.
I
one hundred muskets, the same number of looking -
ghsses, four hundred jrards of cloth, and twenty
casks 0^ powder, besides other things.
I After receiymg these presents, the strangers
retired on board their canoes, for so numerous
were they that Maquina would not suffer any but
^e chie» to sleep in the houses; and in order to
Erevent the property from being pillaged by them^
e ordered Thompson and myself to keep guards
during the night, mned with cutlasses and pbtols.
I In this manner tribes of savages from various
parts of the coast, continued coming for several
days, bringing with them, Uubber, oil, baring
spawn, dried fish and clams, for which they re-
ceived in return, presents of cloth, &c. after which
they in general immediately returned home. I
observed that very few, if any of them, except the
chiefs, had arms, which I afterwards learned is the
custom with these peojde whenever they coma
iq>on a friendly visit or to d*ade, in order to show^
Ga their approach, that their intentions are pacific.
{ Early on the morning of the 18th the ship was
discovered to be on fire. This was owing to one
of the savages having gone on board with a fire
brand at night for the jmrpose of plunder, some
sparks fi*om which fell into the hold, and com->
municating with some combustibles soon enveloped
ihe whole in flames. The natives regretted the
loss of the ship the more as a great part of her
cargo still remained on board. To my compan-
ion and myself it was a most melancholy sight, for
with her cUsappeared from our eyes every trace of
a civilized country; but the disappointment we ex-
perienced was still more severely felt, for we had
calculated on having the provision to ourselves,
which would have mrmshed us with^ stock for
Digitized by VjOC
jewitt's namratite. 41
years, as whatever is cured with salt, together with
most of our other articles of food, are never eaten
by these people. I had luckily saved all my toob
excepting the anvil, and the bellows which was
attached to the forge, and from their weight had
not been brought on shore. We had also the good
fortune in looking over what had been taken from
the ship to discover a box of chocolate and a case
of -port wine, which as the Indians were not fond
of it proved a great comfort to -us for some time,
and from one of the natives I obtained a nautical
almanack, which had belonged to the Captain, and
which was of great use to me in determining the
time.
About two days after, on examming their booty,
the savages found a tierce of rum with which they
were highly delighted, as they have become very
fond of spirituous liquors since their intercourse
with the whites. — This was towards evening, and
Maquina having assembled all the men at his house,
gave a feast, at which they drank so freely of the
mm, that in a short time, they became so extreme-
ly wild and frantic that Thompson and myself,
apprehensive for our safety, thought it prudent to
retire privately into the woods, where we contin-
ued till past midnight. On our return we found
the women gone, who are always very temperate,
drinking nothing but water, havmg quitted die house
and gone to the other huts to sleep, so terrified
were they at the conduct of the men, who all lay
stretched out on the floor in a state of complete
intoxication. How easy in this situation would it
have been for us to have dispatched or made our-
selves masters of our enemies, had there been any
ship near to which we could have escaped, but as
w« were situated^ the attempt would have been
4* Digitized by Google
42 jewitt's karratite.
madness. The wish of revenge was however
less strongly impressed on my mmd, than what
appeared to be so evident an interposition of cU-
vme Providence in our favour. How litde can
man penetrate its designs, and how frequently is
that mtended as a blessing which he views as a
curse. The burning of our ship which we had
lamented so much, as depriving us of so many-
comforts, now appeared to us in a very different
light, for had the savages got possession of the
rum of which there were nearly twenty puncheona
On board, we must mevitably have fallen a sacri*
fice to their fury in some of their moments of in-
toxication. This cask fortunately and a case of
?*n was all the spirits they obtained from the ship,
o prevent the recurrence of similar danger I ex-
amined the cask, and finding still a considerable
quantity remaining, I bored c small hole in the
bottom with a gimblet, which before morning to
my great jojr completely emptied it.
By this time the wound in my head began to be
much better, so that I could enjoy some sleep,
which I had been ahnost deprived of by the pain,
and though I was still feeble from the loss of blood
and my sufferings, I found myself sufficiently well
to go to work at my trade, in making for the king
and his wives bracelets smd other small ornaments
of copper <»r steel, and m repairing the arms, making
use of a large square stone for the anvil, and heat-
ing my metal in a common wood fire. This was
Tery gratifying to Maquina and his women particu-
hriy, and secured me their good will.
^ In the mean time great numbers firom the other
tribes kept continually flockmg to Nootka, bringing
with them in exchange f<^ the ^p's plunder such
quantities of {Nrovision, that notwithstanding the
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
sewittHi nUtAATITK* 4S
little success that Mupiiom met with in whaling
tins season, and their gluttonous waste, always eat-
ing to exc^s when tl^y have it, regardless of the
morrow, seldom did the natives experience any
want of food during the summer. As to my-'
self and companion we fared as they did, never
wanting for stK^h provision as they had, though
we were obliged to eat it cooked in their manner
and with tirain oil as a sauce, « circumstance not a
little unpleasant, bodi from dieir uncleanly modJa
of cooking, and many of the articles of diHsir food
which to an European are very disgusting, but, as
the saying is, hunger will break through stone walls,
and we found at times in the blubber of sea animab
and the fl^h of the dog fish, loathsome as it in
general was, a very acceptable repast. But much
oftener would poor Thompson, who was no favorite
with them, have suffered from hunger had it not been
fw my fimiishing him with provision — ^This I was
enabled to do from my work, Maquina allowing me
the privilege, when not employed for him, to work
for mjrself in mddng bracelets smd other orna-
ments of copper, fish-hooks, daggers, &c. either
to sell to die tribes who visited us, or f(»r coir own
chiefs, who on these occasions, besides supplying
me with as much as I wished to eat, and a suffi*
ctency for Thompson, idmost always made me a
presait of m European garm^it taken from the
diip or some fathoms of cloth, which were made
up by my comrade, sod ^enabled us to go com-
fortably clad for some time, or smaU bundles of
penknives, razors, iscissors, &c. for one of which
we could almost always procure from the natives
two or three fresh salmon, cod, or .halibut; or
dried &h, dams mid herring spawn from the stran-
ger tribes; mid had we only been permitted to
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
44 jewitt's narrative.
cook them after our own way, as we had pots,
and other utensils belongmg to the ship, we should
not have had much cause of complaint in this res-
pect ; but so tenacious are these people of theif
customs, particularly in the article of food and
cooking, thai the kmg always obliged me to give
whatever provisions I bought to the women to
cook — and one day finding Thompson and myself
on the shore employed in boiling down sea-water
into salt, on being told what it was, he was very
much displeased, and taking the little we had pro-
cured, threw it into the sea. In one instance
alone, as a particidar favor, he allowed me to boil
some salmon in my own way, when I invited him
and his queen to eat widi me; they tasted it, but
did not like it, and made their meal of some of it
that I had cooked in then: country fashion.
In May, the weather became uncommonly
mild and pleasant, and so forward was vegetation
that I picked a plenty of strawberries by the mid-
dle of the month. Of this fruit there are great
Juantities on this coast, and I found them a most
elicious treat. — My health had now become almost
re-estal^ished, my wound being so far healed that
it gave me no farther trouble. I had never failed
to wash it regularly once a day in sea water, and
to dress it with a fresh leaf of tobacco, which I
obtained from the natives, who had taken it from
the ship, bat made no use of it. This was all the
dressing I gave it, except applying to it two or
three times, a little loaf sugar, which Maquina gave
me, in order to remove some proud flesh which
f)revented it from closing. My cure would doubt-
ess have been much sooner effected had I have
been in a civilized country, where I could have
bad it dressed by a surgeon and properly attended
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
jiwitt's karkatitk. 46
to.' But alas! I htol no good Samaritan with oil
and wine to bind up my wounds, and fortunate
might I even esteem myself, that I was permitted
to dress it myself, for the utmost that I could
expect from the natives was compassion for
my misfortune, which I indeed experienced from
the women, particularly the queen, or favorite wife
of Maquina, the mother of Sat-sat-sox-sis, who
used frequently to point to my head and mwai*
fest much kin(hiess and solicitude forme. I must
do Maquina the justice to acknowledge that he al-
ways appeared desirous of* sparing me any labour
which he believed might be hurtful to me, frequently
enquiring in an afiectionate manner, if my head pain«»
ed me. As for the others^ some of the chiefs ex*
eepted, they cared litde what became of me, and
probaMy would have been gratified with my death.
My health being at length re-established and my
wound healed, Thompson became very importu-
nate for me to begin my journal, and as I had no
ink, proposed to cut his finger to supply me with
blood for the purpose whenever I should want it.
On the first of June I accordingly commenced a
regular diary, but had no occasion to make use of
the expedient suggested by my comrade, having
found a much better substitute in the expressed
{'nice of a certain plant, which furnished me with a
>right green colour, and after making a nimiber of
trids I at length succeeded in obtaining a very tole-
rable ink, by boiling the juice of the black-berry
with a mixture of finely powdered charcoal and
filtering it through a cloth. This I afterwards pre-
served in bottles and found it answer very well,
so true is it that " necessity is the mother of in-
vention." As for quills I found no difficulty in
procuring them, whenever I wanted, from the
Digitieed by VjOOQ iC
46 jewitt's narratiyb.
crows and ravens with which the beach was ahnost
always covered, attracted hj the offal of whales,
seals, ~&c. and which were so tame that I could
easily kill them with stones, while a large clam
shell furnished me with an ink stand.
The extreme solicitude of Thompson that I
should begin my journal, might be considered as
singular m a man, who neither knew how to write
or read, a circumstance by the way, very uncom-
mon in an American, were we less acquainted with
^ force of habit, he having been for many years
at sea, and accustomed to consider the keeping of
a journal as a thing indispensable. This man was
bom in PhiladelpWa, and at eight years old ran
away from his friends, and entered as a cabin boy
<m board a ship bound to London; on his arrival
there finding himself in distress, he engaged as an
apprentice to the captain of a Collier, from whence
he was impressed on board an English man of war,
and continued in the British naval service about
twenty-seven years, during which he was present
at the engagement under Lord Howe with the
French fleet in June, 1794, and when peace was
made between England and France was discharged.
He was a very strong and powerful man, an ex-
pert boxer, and perfectly fearless; indeed so little
was his dread of danger, that when irritated he
was wholly regardless of his life. Of this the fol-
lowing will furnish a sufficient proof.
One evening about the middle of April, as I
was at the house of one of the chiefs, where I had
been employed on some work for him, word was
brought me that Maquina was going to kill Thomp-
son. I immediately hurried home, where I found
the king in the act of presenting a loaded musket
at Thompso*^, who was stau/'irig before him with
Dig^zedbyGipOgle
JEWITT*i NARRATIYE* 47
his breast bared and calling on him to fire. I in-
stantty stepped up to Maquina, who was foaming
with rage, and addressing him in soothing words,
begged him for my sake not to kill my fath&, and
at length succeeded in taking the musket from him
and persuading him to sit down. On enquiring
irrto the cause of his anger, I learned that while
Thompson was lighting the lamps in the king's
room, Maquina having substituted our's for their
pme torches, some of the boys began to teaze him,
running around him and pulling him by the trow-
sers, among the most forward of whom was the
young prince. This caused Thompson to spill
the oil, which threw him into such a passion, that
without caring what he did, he sti*uck the prince
so violent a blow in his face with his fist as to
knock Mm down. The sensation excited among
the savages by an act, which was considered as
the highest indignity, and a profanation of the sa-
cred person of majesty may be easily conceived.
The king was immediately acquainted with it, who,
on coming in and seeing his son's face covered
with blood, seized a musket and began to load it^
determined to take instant revenge on the auda-
cious offender; and had I arrived a few minutes
later than I did, my companion woi^ld certainly
have paid with his life for his rash smd violent con-
duct. J found the utmost difficulty in pacifying
Maquina, who for a long time after could not for-
give Thompson, but would repeatedly say, '' John,
you die — Thompson kill." — But to appease the
king was not all that was necessary. In conse-
quence of the insult offered to their prince, the
whole tribe held a council, in which it was unani-
mously resolved that Thompson should be put to
death in the most cruel manner. I however inter-
Digitized by VjOOQ IC
48 JKWITT's NAREATIYK* .
ceded so strenuously with Maquina, for bis life^
telling him diat if my iather was killed, I was de-
termined not to survive him, that he refused to
deliver* him up to the vengeance of his people,
saying, that for John's sake they must consent to
let him live. The prince, who, after I had suc-
ceeded in cabnmg his father, gave me an account
of what^ad happened, told me that it was wholly
out of regard to me, as Thompson was my father,
diat his life had been spared, for that if any one
of the mbe should dare to lift a hand against him
in anger, be would most certainly be put to death.
Yet even this narrow escape produced not much
^ect on Thompson, or induced him to restrain
the violence of his temper. For not many weeks
after, he was guilty of a similar indiscretion, in
striking the eldest son of a chief, who was about
eighteen years old, and according to their custom
was considered as a Tyee, or chief himself, in
consequence of his having provoked Inm l^ call-
ing him a white slave. This afiair ca«sed great
commotion in the village, and the tribe was very
clamorous (of bis death, but Maquina would not
consent. I used frequenter to remonstrate with
him on the im]mid«ace of his conduct and beg
him to govern his temper better, tilling him, it
was our duiy, since our lives were in the power of
these savages, to do nothing to exasperate them.
But all I could say on this point availed little, for
so bitter was the hate he felt for them, which he
was no way backward in manifesting both by his
looks and actions, that he declared he never would
submit to their insults, and that he had much
rather be killed than hie obliged to live amiong
them, adding that he only vrished he had a good
vessel and some guns, and he would destroy the
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
jkwitt's narratite. 49
wliole of the cursed race; for to a hrave sailor like
him, who had fought the French and Spaniards
widi glory, it was a punishment worse .thin death
to be a slave to such a poor, ignorant, despicable
set of beings.
As for mjrself I thought very diiTerentty. After
returning thanks to that merciiul Being who had in
so wonderful a manner softened the hearts of the
savages in my favour, I had determined from the
first of my capture to adopt a conciUatu^ conduct
towards tliem, and conform myself, as rar as was
in my power, to their customs and mode of think-
ing, trusting that the same divine goodness that
had rescued me from death, would not always suf-
fer me to languish in captivity among these hea-
then. With this view I sought to gain their good
will by always endeavouring to assume a cheerful
countenance, appearing pleased with their sports
and buffoon tricks, making little ornaments for the
wives and children of the chiefs, by which means
I became quite a favorite widi them, and fish
hooks, daggers, &c. for themselves. As a farther
recommendation to their favour, and what might
eventually prove of the utmost importance to us, I
resolved to learn their language, which in the
course of a few months residence, I so far suc-
ceeded in acquiring, as to be able in general to
make myself well understood. I likewise tried to
persuade Thompson to learn it as what niisht prove
necessary to him. But he refused, saying, that
he hated both them and their cursed lingo, and
would have nothing to do with it.
By pursuing this conciliatory plan, so far did I
gain the good will of the savages, particularly the
chiefs, that I scarcely ever failed experiencing kind
treatment from them, and was received with a
e Digitized by VjOOQIC
50
smile of welcome at their houses, where I was
always sure of having something given me to eat,
whenever they had it, and many a good meal liave
I had from them, when they themselves were short
of provisions and suffering for the want of them.
And it was a common practice with me when we
had nothing to eat at home which happened not
unfrequently during my stay among them, to go
around the village, and on noticing a smoke from
any of the houses, which denoted that they were
cooking, enter in without ceremony and ask them
for something, which I was never refused. Few
nations indeed, are there, so very rude and unfeel-
ing, whom constant mild treatment and an attention
to please, will not mollify and obtain from them
some return of kind attention. This, the treat-
ment i received from these people may exemplify,
for not numerous, even among thosie calling them-
selves civilized, are there instances to be found of
persons depriving themselves of food to give it to
a stranger, whatever may be his merits.
It may perhaps be as well in this place to give
a description of Nootka, some accounts of the
tribes who were accustomed to visit us, and the
manners and customs of the people, as far as I
hitherto had an opportunity of observing them.
The village of Nootka, is situated in between
49 and 50 deg. N. lat. at tlie bottom of Friendly
Cove, on the West or North West side. It con-
sists of about twenty houses or huts, on a small
liill which rises with a gentle ascent from the shore.
Friendly Cove which affords good and secure an-
chorage for ships close in with the shore is a small
harbour of not more than a quarter or half a mile
ih length, and about half a mile or three quarters
broau, formed by the line of coast on the East,
itized by Google
JEWITT'8 narratite. 51
ond a long point, or headland which extends as
much as three leagues into the sound in nearly a
Westerly direction. This as well as I can judge
from what I have seen of it, is in general from one
to two miles in breadth, and mostly a rocky and
unproductive soil with but few trees. The East-
em and Western shores of this harbour are steep,
and in many parts rocky, the trees growing quite
to the water's edge, but the bottom to the North
and North- West is a fine sandy beach of half a
mile or more in extent. From the village to the
North and Nortli-East extends a plain, the soil of
which is very excellent, and with proper cultiva-
tion may be made to produce almost any of our
European vegetables; this is but Uttle more than
half a mile in breadth, and is terminated by the sea
coast, which in this place is Uned with rocks and
reefs and cannot be approached by ships. The
coast in the neighbourhood of Nootka is in gene-
ral low and but Uttle broken into hills and vallies.
The soil is good, well covered with fine forests of
pme, spruce, beach and other trees, and abounds
with streams of the finest water, the general ap-
pearance being the same for many miles round.
The village is situated on the ground occupied
by the Spaniards, when they kept a garrison here;
the foundations of the church and the governor's
house are yet visible, and a few European plants
are still to be found, which contmue to be self-
propagated, such as onions, peas, and turnips, but
the two last are quite small, particularly the tur-
nips, which afford us nothing but the tops for eat-
ing. Their former village stood on the same spot,
but the Spaniards finding it a commodious situa-
tion, demolished the houses and forced the inhab-
itants to retire five or §ix miles ,'0^^§^q^°""^*
53 JE Witt's narratite.
With great sorrow, as Maquina told me, did thej
find themselves compelled to quit their ancient
place of residence, but with equal joy did they
repossess themselves of it when the Spanish garri-
son was expelkd by the English.
The houses as I have observed are above twen-
ty in number, built nearly in a line. These are
of different sizes according to the rank or quaUty
of the Tyee, or chief, who lives in them, each
having one, of which he is considered as the lord.
They vary not much in width, being usually from
thirty-six to forty feet wide, but are of very differ*-
ent lengths, that of the king which is much the
longest being about one himdred and fifty feet,
while the smallest which contain pnly two families
do not exceed forty feet in length, die house of
the king is .also distinguished from the others by
being higher.
Their method of building, is as follows, they
erect in the ground two very large posts at such a
distance apart as is intended for the length of the
house. On these, which are of equal height, and
hollowed out at the upper end, they lay a large
spar for the ridgepole of the building, or if tbe
length of the house require^ it, two or more, sup--
porting their ends by similar upright posts; these
spars are sometimes of an almost mcredible si^,
having myself measured one in Maquina's bouse
which I found to be one hundred feet long and
eight feet four inches in circumference. At equal •
distances from these two posts two others are
placed aa each side, to form the width of the
building; these are rather shorter than the first,
and on them are laid in like manner spars, but of
a smaller size, having the upper part hewed flat,
witL a narrow ridge on the outer side to support
^ .itizedbyCOC '^^
jewitt's narrative. 53
the ends of the planks. The roof is formed of
pine planks with a hroad feather edge, so as to kq)
wel^-over each other, which are laid lengthwise
from the ridgepole in the centre, to the beams at
the sides, after which the top is covered with
planks of eight feet broad, which form a kind of
covering projecting so far over the ends of the
planks, that form the roof, as completely to ex-
clude the i-ain. On these they lay large stones to
prevent their being displaced by the wind. The
ends of the planks are not secured to the beams on
which they are laid by any fastening, so that in a
high storm I have often known all the men obliged
to turn out and go upon the roof to prevent them
froni being blown off, carrying large stones and
pieces of rock with them to secure the boards, al-
ways stripping themselves naked on these occasions
whatever may be the severity of the weaker, to
prevent their garments from being wet and mud-
died, as these storms are almost always accompa-
nied with heavy rains. The sides of their houses
are much more open and exposed to the weather,
this proceeds from their not being so easily made
close as the roof, being built with planks of about
ten feet long and four or five wide, which they
Elace between stancheons or small posts of the
eight of the roof, of these there are four to each
range of boards, two at each end and so near each
other as to leave space enough for admitting a
plank. The planks or boards which they make
use of for building their houses, and for other uses,
they procure of different lengths as occasion re-
quires, by splitting them out, with hard wooden
wedges irom pine logs, and afterwards dubbing
th^n down with their chizzels, with much patience,
5*
/. Digitized by VjOOQ iC
64 jewitt's narrative.
to the ttuckness wanted, rendermg them quite
smooth.
There is but one entrance; this is placed usual-
ly at the end, though sometimes in the middle ^
was that of Maquina's. Through the middle of
the building fix)ni one end to the other, runs a
passage of about eight or nine feet broad, on each
side of which, the several families that occupy it,
live, each having its particular fire-place, but with-
out any kind of wall or separation to mark their
respective limits; the chief having his apartment
at the upper end, and the next in rank opposite on
the other side. They have no other floor than
the ground; the fire-place or hearth consists of a
number of stones loosely put together, but they
are wholly without a chimney, nor is there any
opening left in the roof, but whenever a fire is
made, the plank immediately over it is thrust aside,
by means of a pole, to give vent to the smoke.
The height of the houses m general, from the
ground to the centre of the roof does not exceed
ten feet, that of Maquina's was not far from four-
teen; Ihe spar forming the ridgepole of the latter
was painted in red and black circles alternately by
way of ornament, and the large posts that support-
ed it had their tops curiously wrought or carved,
so as to represent human heads of a monstrous size,
which were painted in their manner. These were
not, however, considered as objects of adoration,
but merely as. ornaments.
The furniture of these people is very simple,
and consists only of boxes in which they put thenr
clothes, furs, and such things as they hold most vrf-
uable; tubs for keeping their provision of spawn and
blubber m; trays trom which they eat; baskets for
/ Digitized by Google
JSWITT'f HABftATITE^ 6S
tbifar dried fish atid other purpoeef^ wmA hm made
of bark matdtt^, c^ wliidi tfaej also man tbrir
beds, spreadkf a piece of it opon the ground when
tbey Ue down, and using no other bed corering
than their garmeots. The boxes are of {nne, with
a top that shuts over, and instead of nails or pegs
are fastened mth flexible twigs, tfaejr at« extreme-
ly smooth and high polished, and sometimes oma*
moiled with rows of rery small white shells.
The tubs are of a square form^ secured in the lilm
maaner, and of nmus soes, some being extreme*
I7 large, having seen them that were six feet long
by four broad and five deep. The Trays are hol«
lowed out with thdr cidxzek from a solid block of
w6od, and the baskets and mats are made from, the
bark of trees« From this they likewise make the
ctotfa for their garments, in the fdbwing manner.
A quantity of this bark n taken ttid put into fred
water where it is kept for a fortmf^ to giro it
time to completdy soften; it is then taken out and
beaten upon a pliodc, widi an insthmnnt made (^
b^ie or some very Inrd wood, baring grooves or
hoHows on one side of it, care beingtaken to keep
the mass constaialf moistened With water, in order
to eeparate widi more ease the bard and woocbf
from the soft and fibrous pvti^, which, when com*
pleted, they parcel out mto skeitis, Lke thread.
These th^ 1^ in the air to bleach, and afterwards
dye them Mack or red as smts their fancies, their
natmral cdbur b^g a pale ydloW. In order to
form the cloth, the womoi by whom the whole of
tUa process is performed, take a certain number df
these skeins nsd twist them togedie^ by rolling
them with their hands upcm their knees, into hard
rolls, which arc afterwards connected by means of
a strong thread made for the purpose.
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
6S
Their dress usually consists of but a single gar-
mait, which is a loose cloak or mantle (cmed
Kutsack) in one piece, reaching nearly to the feet.
This is tied loosely over the right or left shoulder
so as to leave the arms at full liberty.
Those of the conunon people are painted red
with ochre the better to keep out the ram, but the
chiefs wear them of then: native colour, which is
a pale yellow, ornamenting them with borders of
the sea otter skin, a kind of grey cloth made of
the hair of some animal which they procure from
the tribes to the South, or their own cloth wrought
or painted with various figiu*es in red or blade,
representing men's heads, the sun and moon, fish
and animals, which are frequently executed .with
much skill. Th^ have also a girdle of the same
kind for securmg tUs mmitle, or KxUsackj around
ihem, \diich is in general still more highly oma-
m^mted, and serv^ them to wear their daggers imd
knives in. In winter however, they sometimes
make use of an addidcmal garment, which is a kind
of hood, with a hole m it for the purpose of ad-
mitting the head, and &lls over the breast and back
as low as the shoulders; this is bordered both at
top and bottom with fur, and is never worn except
when they go out. The garments of the wom^i
vary not essentially from diose of the men, th^
numtle having holes in it for the piyrpose of admit
ting the arms, and being tied close under the chin,
instead of over the shoulder. The chiefs have
also mandes of the sea otter skin, but these are
only put on upon extraordinary occasions, and one
tlmt is made from the skin of a certain Iiurge ani-
mal, which is brought from the South by the
^ickanninish and Kla-iz-zarts. This they pre-
pare by dressing it in warm wat^, scriping off
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
die hair and vrhat flesh adheres to it carefully widi
^diarp muscle shells, and spreading it out in the
sun to dry, op a wooden frame, so as to preserve
5&e shape. When dressed in this manner it be-
'Qomes perfectly white and as pliable as the best
•deer's leather, but almost as tliick again. They
4beD paint it in different figures with such paints as
they usually employ in decorating tlieir persons:
Aese figures mosdy represent human heads, canoes
'employed in catching whales, &c. This skin is
eaUed Metamelth and is probably got from an ani*
jnal of the moose kind, it is highly prized by these
p<30t|de, is their great war dress, and only worn
'When they wish to make the best possible display
laf thenaselves. Strips or bands of it, painted as
Itbove, are also sometimes used by tliem for gir-
dles or the bordering of their cloaks, and also for
bracelets and ancle ornaments by some of the infe-
rior class.
On their heads when they go out upon any ex-
(Mfirsion, particularly whaling or fishnng, they wear
li kind of cap or bonnet in form not unlike a large
Sugar loaf with the top cut off. This is made of
die same materials with their cloth, but is in gener-
al of a closer texture and by way of tassel has a
kmg strip erf the skin of the Metamelth attached to
it, covered with rows of small white shells or
beads. Those worn by the common people are
painted «ilarely red, the chiefs having theirs of
differeHt colours. The one worn by the king and
ti4iich serves to designate him from all the others,
is longer and broader at the bottom; the top, in
stead of hemg flat, having upon it an ornament in
Ae figure of a small urn. It is also of a much
finer texture than the others and plaited or wrou^t
m black and wlute stripes with die representauon
itizedbyCjOOgle
58 jewitt's narrativb.
in front of a canoe in pursuit of a whale with the
harpooner standing in the prow prepared to strike.
This bonnet is caDed Seeya-poks,
Their mode of living is very simple — their food
consisting almost wholly of fish, or fish spawn fi'esh
or dried, the blubber of the whale, seal, or sea-cow,
muscles, clams, and berries of various kinds; all
of which are eaten with a profusion of train oil f<MP
«auce, not excepting even the most delicate fruit,
as strawberries and raspberries. With so little
variety in their food, no great can be expected, in
their cookery. Of this, indeed, they may be said
to know but two methods, viz. by boiling and steam-
ing, and even the latter is not very frequently prac-
tised by them. Their mode of boiling is as follows:
into one of their tubs, they pour water suffici^it
to cook the quantity of provision wanted. A num-
ber of heated stones are then put in to make it boil,
when the salmon or other fish are put in without
any other preparation than sometimes cutting off
the heads, tails and fins, the boiling in the mean
time being kept up by the application of the hot
stones, after which it is left to cook until the whole
is nearly reduced to one mass.. It is then taken
out and distributed in the trays. In a similar man-
ner they cook their blubber and spawn, smoked or
dried fish, and in fine, almost elVery thing tlieyeat,
nothing going down with them like broth.
When they cook their fish by steam, which are
usually the heads, tails, and fins of the salmon, cod
and halibut, a large fire is kindled, ujion which
they place a bed of stones, which, when the wood
is burnt down, becomes perfectly heated. Lay-
ers of green leaves or pine boughs, are then plac-
ed upon the stones, and the fish, clams, &c. being
.aid upon thqm, water is poured over them, an4
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JlEWItt's NAR&ATtTK. 59
die whole closety covered with mats to keep m
the steam. This is much the best mode of cook-
ing, and clams and muscles done in this manner,
are really excellent. These, as I have said, may
be considered as their only kinds of cookery;
though 1 have in a very few instances known them
dress the roe or spawn of the salmon and the her*
ring, when first taken, in a different manner; this
was by roasting them, the former being supported
between two spht pieces of pine, and the other
having a sharp stick run through it, with one end
fixed in the ground; sprats are also roasted by them
in this way, a number being spitted on one stick;
and this kind of food, with a littie salt, would be
found no contemptible eating even to a European.
At their meals they seat themselves upon the
ground, with their feet curled up under them,
around their trays, which are generally about three
feet long by one board, and from six to eight inch-
es deep. In eating they make use of nodiing but
their fingers, except for tiie soup or oil, which
they lade out with clam shells. Around one of
these trays, from four to six persons will seat
themselves, constantiy dipping in their fingers or
clam shells, one after the other. — The king and
chiefs alone have separate trays, fi'om which no
one is permitted to eat with them, except the queen,
or principal wife of the chief, and whenever the
king or one of the chiefs wfshes to distinguish any
of his people with a special mark of favour on
these occasions, he calls him and gives him some
of the choice bits from his tray. The slaves eat
at the same time, and of the same provisions, far-
ing in this respect as well as their masters, being
seated with tiie family and only feeding from sep-
arate trays. Whenever a feast is given by the
itized by Google
60 JWr«Tl*S KABBikTilWfc
Idxig or any of the cbie&, tberis id % pencm yrtio
acts as a master of ceremonieg) and' whose buai-f
ness it is to receive the guests as th^ ei^er the
house and point out to them thdbr respeetiTe seatSy
which is regulated with great punctihousness as re-
gards rank; the king occupying the highest or the
seat of honour, his son or broths sitting next him,
and so on with the chiefs according to their quaii-*
ty; the private persons belonging to the same mmi*
ly being always placed together to prev^it a^
confusion^ The wom^i are seldom invited U>
their feasts, and only at those times when n gener*
al invitation is given to the village.
As whenever they cook, they alwajrs calculate
to have an abundance for all the guests, a p^ ofusioa
in this respect beii^ considered as the highest luxu-
ry, much more is usually set before them than they
can eat. That which is left in the king's tray he
sends to his house for his family, by one of his
slaves, as do the chiefs theirs, while those who e^
from ^e same tray and who generally bdong to
the same family, take it home as common stock,
or each one receives his portion, winch is distribu^
ed on the spot. This custom appeared very singu-
lar to my companion and myself, and it was a most
awkward thing for us at first, to have to lug home
with us, in our hands or arms, the Uubber or fish
that we received at these times; but we soon be-
came reconciled to it, and were very glad of an
opportunity to do it.
in pomt of personal appearance the people oi
Nootka are among the best looking of any of the
tribes that I have seen. The men are in general
fhjm about five feet six to five feet eight inches
in height; remarkably straight, of a good form, ro-
bust, and strongs with their limbs, mgenewd weC
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
jewitt's kaekatite* 61
tamed and propordoned excepting the kgs and faet^
which are clumsy and ill formed, owing no doubt
to their practice of sitting on them, though I hare
seen instances in which thej were very weU sha*
ped; this defect is more particularly apparent b
the women, who are for tiie most part of the time
within doors, and constantly sitting while employ-
ed in their cooking and other occupations. The
only instance of deformity that I saw among them
was a man of dwarfish stature; he was thirty years
old and but three feet three inches high; he had
however no other defect than thb diminutiye size,
being well made, and as strong and able to bear
fatigue as what they were in general. Their com*
plexion, when freed from the paint and oil with
which their skins are generally covered, is a brown,
somewhat inclining to a copper cast. The shape
of the face is oval; the features are tolerably regu-
lar, the lips being thin and the teeth very white
and even: their eyes are black but rather small,
and the nose pret^ well formed, being neither flat
nor very prominent: their hair is black, long and
coarse, but they have no beard, completely extir-
pating it, as well as the hair from their bodies,
Maquina being the only exception, who suffered
his beard to grow on his upper lip, in the manner
of mustachios, which was considered as a mark
of dignity. As to the women they are much
whiter, many of them not being darker than
those in some of the Southern parts of Europe.
They are in general very well looking and
some quite handsome. Maquina's favorite wife
in particular, who was a Wickinninish princei^s,
would be considered as a beautiful woman iu
any country. She was uncommonly well form-
ed, tall, and of a majestic appearance: her
Digitized by VjOOQ IC
6t JEWlTT'ff NARRATIVE.
skin remarkably fdr for one of these people,
with considerable colour, her features handsome
and her eyes black, soft, and languishing; her Rahr
was very long, thick, and black, as is that of the
females in general, which is much softer than that
of the men; in this they take much pride, frequent-
ly oiling and plaiting it carefully into two broad
plaits, tying the ends with a strip of the cloth of
the country and letting it hang down before on
each side of the face.
The women keep their garments much neater
and cleaner than the men, and are extremely mod-
est in their deportment and dress; their mantle or
Katsack, which is longer than that of the men,
reaching quite to their feet, and completely envel-
oping them, being tied close under the chin, and
bound with a girdle of the same cloth or of sea
otter skin around their waists; it has also loose
sleeves which reach to the elbows. Though fond
of ornamenting their persons they are by no means
so partial to pamt as the men, merely colouring
their eye-brows black and drawing a bright red
stripe from each comer of the mouth towards the
ear. Their ornaments consist chiefly of ear-rings,
necklaces, bracelets, rings for the fingers and an-
kles, and small nose jewels, (the latter are however
wholly confined to the wives of the king or chiefs)
these are principally made out of copper or brass,
highly polished and of various forms and sizes ; the
nose jewel is usually a small white shell or bead
suspended to a thread. The wives of the com-
mon people frequently wear for bracelets and an-
kle rings, strips of the country clodi or skin of
tUe Metamelth painted in figures, and those of
the king, or principal chiefs bracelets and neck-
laces, ccMisisting of a number of springs of ffe-toau^
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
^mwin^n narratitx. 6d
an article much prized by them, and which makes
a very handsome appearance. Thb I/e^waw^ as
they term it, is a kind of shell of a dazzling white-
ness, mid as smooth as ivoiy, it is of a cyhndrical
form, in a slight degree curved, about the size of
a goose quill, holk>w, three inches in length and
gradually tapering to a point, which is broken off
by the natives as it is taken from the water; this
they afterwards string upon threads of bark, and
sell it by the fathom; it forms a kind of circulating
medium among these nations, five fathoms being
considered as the price of a slave their most valuable
species of property. It is principally obtained
from the Aitizzarts, a people hving about tliirty or
forty miles to the Nortlp?vard, who collect it from
the reefs and sunken rocks with which their coast
abounds, though it is also brought in considerable
quantity from the South. Their mode of taking
it has been thus described to me. To one end
of a }5ole is fastened a piece of plank in which a
considerable number of pine pegs are inserted,
made sharp at the ends; above the plank in order
to sink it, a stone or some weight is tied, and the
other aid of the pole suspended to a long rope;
this is let down perpendicularly by the Ife-waiB
fishers in those places where that substance is found,
which are usually from fifty to sixty iiathoms deep;
OD finding the bottom they raise the pole up a few
feet and let it fall, this diey repeat a number of
times as if sounding, when they draw it up and
take off the Ife-waw which is found adhering to
the points. This method of procuring it is very
laborious and fatiguing, especially as they seldom
take more than two or three of these shells at ' a
time, and frequently none.
Though the women, as I have said, make but
Digitized by Google
64 ^EWITT'f KAEftATITB.
little use of paint, the very reverse is the case with
the men. In decorating their heads and faces
they place their prineipid pride, and none of our
most fashionable beaus, when preparmg for a grand
ball can be more particular: For I have Imown
Maquina after having been employed for more than
an hour in painting his face, rub the whole off and
recommence the operation anew when it did not
- entirely please him. The mamier in which they
paint themselves frequendy varies, according to the
occasion, but it oftener is the mere dictate of whim.
— The most usual method is to paint the eye-brows
black, in form of a half moon, and the fsi^e red in
small squares, with the lums and legs and part of
the body red; sometimes one half of the face is
painted red in squares, and the other black; at
others, dotted with red spots, or red and black in-
stead of squares, with a variety of other devices,
such as painting one half of the face and body red,
and the other black. But a method of painting
which they sometimes employed, and which they
were much more particular in, was by laymg on the
face a quantity of bear's grease of about one eighth
of an inch thick; this they raised up into ridges re-
sembling a small bead in joiner's work, with a stick
prepared for the purpose, and then painted them
red, which gave the face a very singular appear-
ance. On extraordinary occasions, the king and
principal chiefs used to strew over their faces, af-
ter painting, a fine black shining powder, procured
from some mineral, as Maquina told me it was
got from the rocks. This they call pelpelth^ and
value it highly, as, in their opinion, it serves to
set off their looks to great advantage, glittering,
especially in the sun, like silver. — This article is
Drought them in^ags by the J^ewchemass, a very
Digitized by Google
IE WITT '8 HARIUlTITE. 66
savage nation who live a long way to the Nortb)
from wbom they likewise receive a 9iq>erior kind
of red paint, a species of very fine and rich ochre,
which they hold in much estimation.
Notwithstanding this custom of painting them-
selves, they make it an invariable practice, both in
summer and winter, to bathe once a day, and some-
times oftener; but as the paint is put on with oil,
it is iK)t much discomposed thereby, and whenever
they wish to wash it off, they repair to some pieee
of fresh water and scour themselves with sand at
rushes.
In dressing their heads on occasion of a fest^
va] or visit, they are full as particular, and almost
as long, as in painting. The hair, after being well
oiled, is carefully gathered upon the top of the
bead and secured by a piece of pine or spruce
bough with the green leaves upon it. After hav-
ing it properly fixed in this manner, the king and
principal chiefs used to strew all over it the white
down obtained from a species of large brown eagle,
which abounds on this coast, which they are very
particular in arranging so as not to have a single
feather out of place, occasionally wetting the hair
to make it adhere. This, together with the bough,
which is sometimes of considerable size, and stuck
over with feathers by means erf turpentine, gives
them a- very singular and grotescjue appearance,
which they, however, think very becoming, suid
the first thing they do on learning the arrival of
strangers is to go and decorate thmnselves m this
manner.
The men also wear bracelets of painted leather
or copper, and large ear-rings of the latter — but
the ornament on which they appear to set the most
v«lue, is the nose-jewel, if such an appellatoon may
6* tized by Google
68 JBWITT's NA&RATtVfi.
be given to the wooden stick, which some of thom
employ for this purpose. The king and chiefs,
however, wear them of a different form, being
either small pieces of polished copper or brass, of
which I made many for them, in the shape of hearts
and diamonds, or a twisted conical shell about half
an inch in length of a blueish colour and very bright,
which is brought from fee South. These are sus-
pended by a small wire or string to the hole, in
the gristle of the nose, which is formed in infancy,
by boring it with a pin, the hole being afterwards
enlarged by the repeated insertion of wooden pegs
of an increased size, until it becomes about the di-
ameter of a pipe stem, though some have them of
a size nearly sufficient to admit the little finger. —
The common class who cannot readily procure the
more expensive jewels that I have mentioned,
substitute for them, usually, a smooth round stick,
some of which are of an almost incredible length,
for I have seen them projecting not less than eight
or nine inches beyond the face on each side; lliis
is made fast or secured in its place by little wedg-
es on each side of it. These sprit-sail-yard fel-
lows, as my mess-mate used to call them, when
rigged out in this manner made quite a strange
show, and it was his delight whenever he saw one
of them coming towards us with an air of conse-
quence proportioned to the length of his stick, to
put up his hand suddenly as he was passing him,
so as to strike the stick, in order, as he said, to
brace him up sharp to the wind; this used to make
them very angry, but nothing was more remote
from Thompson's ideas than the wish to cultivate
their favour.
The natives of Nootka appear to have but little
uvjlination for the chase, though some of them
JE Witt's kaeratits. 67
w<e expert marksmen, and used sometimes to
shoot ducks and geese ^ but the seal and the sea-
otter form the principsd objects of their himting,
particularly the latter. Of this animal, so much
noted for its valuable skin, the following descrip-
tion may not be uninteresting. The sea-otter is
nearly five feet in length, exclusive of the tail,
which is about twelve inches, and is very thick
and broad where it jobs the body, but gradually
tapers to the end, which is tipped with white.
The colour of the rest^ is a shining silky black,
with the exception of a broad white stripe on the
top of the head. .Nothing can be more beautiful
than one of these animals when seen swimming,
especially when on the lookout for any object.
At such times it raises its head quite above the
surface, and the contrast between the shining
Mack and the white, together with its sharp ears
and a long tuft of hair rising > from the middle of
its forehead, wliich look like three small horns,
render it quite a novel and attractive object.
They are in general very tame, and will permit a
canoe or boat to approach very near before they
dive. I was told, however, that they are become
much more shy since they have been accustomed
to shoot them with muskets, than when they used
only arrows. The skin is held in great estimation
in China, more especially that of the tail, the fur
of which is finer and closer set than that on the
body. This is always cut ofl!* and sold separately
by die natives. The value of a skin is determin-
ed by its size, that being considered as a prime
skin which will reach, in length,^ from a man's
chin to his feet. The food of the sea-otter is
fish, which he is very dexterous in taking, being
an excellent swimmer, with feet webbed like those
68 JKWITT*8 NABRATIFE*
of a goose. — They appear to be wholly confined
to the sea-coast, at least to the salt water. They
have usually three or four young at a time, but I
know not bow often they breed, nor m what places
they deposit their young, though I have frequently
seen them swimming around the mother when no
larger than rats. The flesh is eaten hy the na-
tives, cooked in their usual mode by boiling, and
is far preferable to that of the seal of which they
make much account.
But if not great hunters there are few people
more expert in fishing. Their lines are generjJly
made from the sinew of the whale, and are ex-
tremely strong.' For the hook, they usually make
use of a strai^t piece of hard wood, in the lower
part of which is mserted and well secured, witb
thread or whale sinew, a bit of bone made very
sharp at the point and bearded; but I used to make
for them hooks from iron, which they preferred,
not onty as being less liable to break, but more
certain of securing the fish. Cod, halibut, and
other seafish were not only caught by them with
hooks, but even salmon. To take this tattei; fish,
they practise the following method — One person
seats himself in a small canoe, and baiting his liook
with a sprat, which they are always careful to pro-
cure as fresh as possible, fastens his line to the
handle of the paddle; this, as he plies it in the
water, keeps the fish in constant motion, so as to
give it the appearance of life, wliich the salmon
seeing, leaps at it and is instantly hooked, and by
a sudden and dexterous motion of the paddle,
drawn on board. I have kno^vn some of the na-
tives to take no less than eight or ten salmon of a
morning in this manner, and have seen frotn twen-
ty to thirty canoes at a time in Friendly Cove thi»
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«WITT*8 NARRATITE. 69
employed. They are likewise little less skilful in
'takmg the whale. This they kill with a kind of
javelin or harpoon, thus constructed and fitted.
The barbs are formed of bone which are sharpen-
ed on the outer side and hollowed within for the
purpose of forming a socket for the staff; these are
dicn secured fimJy togedier with wlmle sinew,
the point being fitted so as to receive a piece of
muscle shell i;dMch is ground to a very sharp edge,
and secured in its place by means of turpentine.
To this head or prong is 6^tened a strong line of
whale sinew about nine feet in length, to the end
of which b tied a bark rope firom fifty to sixty
fathoms long, having from twenty to thirty seal
skinr floats or buoys, attached to it at certain mter-
vals, in order to check the motion of the whale
and obstruct his diving. In the socket of the har-
poon a staff or pole of about ten feet long, gradu-
ally tapering from the middle to each end, is plac-
ed: this the harpooner holds in his hand in order
to strike the whale, and immediately detaches it as
soon as the fish is struck. The whale is consid-
ered as the king's fish, and no other person, when
he is present, is permitted to touch him until the
royal harpoon has first drawn his blood, however
near he may approach; and it would be consider-
ed almost as sacrilege for any of the common peo-
C! to strike a whale, before he is killed, particu-
ly if any of the chiefs should be present. They
also kill ^e porpoise and sea cow with harpoons,
but this inferior game is not interdicted the lower
class.
With regard to their canoes, some of the hand-
somest to be found on the whole coast arc made
at Nootka, though very fine ones are brought by
tho Wickanninish and the Klaiz-zarts, who have
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70
them more highly ornamented. They are erf all
sizes, from such as are capable of holding only one
person to their largest war canoes which will carry
forty men, and are extremely light. Of these, the
largest of any that I ever saw, was one belonging
to Maquina, which I measured and found to be
forty ^wo feet dx inches in length at the bottom,
and forty-six feet from stem to stern. These are
made of pine hollowed out from a tree with their
chisels solely, which are about three inches broad
and six in length, and set into a handle of very
hard wood. This instrument was formerly made
of flint or some hard stone ground down to as
sharp an edge as possible, but since they have
learned the use of iron, they have almost all of
them of that metal. Instead of a maSet for strik-
ing this chisel, they make use of a smooth roimd
stone, which diey hold in the pahn of the hand.
With this same awkward instrument they not only
excavate their canoes and trays mid smooth their
plank, but cut down such trees as they want, eith-
er for buiMing, fuel, or other purposes, a kbuur
which is mostly done by their slaves.
The falling of trees as practised by them is a
slow and most tedious process, three of them be-
ing g^ierally from two to three days in cutting
down a large one, yet so attached were they to
their own method, that notwithstanding they saw
Thompson frequently with one of our axes, of
which there was a number saved, fall a tree in less
time than they could have gone round it with their
chisels, still Aey could not be persuaded to make
use of them.
After hollowing out their canoes, which they do
very neatly, they fashion the outside, and slightly
bum it for the purpose of removing any splinters
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JEWITT's IfARRATITE. 71
or small points that might obstruct its passage
through the water, after which they rub it over
thoroughly, with rushes or coarse mats, in order to
dmooth it, which not only renders it almost as
smooth as glass, but forms a better security for
it from the weather; this operation of burning
and rubbing down the bottoms of their canoes is
practised as often as they acquire any considerable
degree of roughness from use. The outside, by
this means becomes quite black, and to complete
their work they paint the inside of a bright red,
with ochre or some other similar substance; the
prows and stems are almost always ornamented
with figures of ducks or some other kind of bird,
the former being so fashioned as to represent the
head and the latter the tail, these are separate pie-
ces from the canoe, and are fastened to it witli
small flexible twigs or bark cord. Some of these
canoes, particularly those employed in whaling,
which will hold about ten men, are ornamented
within about two inches below the gunwale, with
two parallel lines on each side of very small white
shells running fore and aft, wliich has a very pret-
ty effect. Their war canoes have no ornament of
this kind but are painted on the outside with fig-
ures in white chdk representing eagles, whales,
human heads, &c. They are very dexterous in
the use X>( their paddles, which are very neatly
wrought, and are five feet long with a short handle
and a blade seven inches broad in the middle taper-
ing to a sharp point. With these they will make
a canoe skim very swiftly on the water with scarce-
ly any noise, wlule they keep time to the stroke
of the paddle with their songs.
With regard to these they have a number which
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73 jewitt'i narrative.
they sing on various occasions; as war* whaling,
and fishmg, at their marriages and feasts, and at
public festivals or solemnities. The language of
the most of the?e appears to be very difier^it, in
many respects, from that used in their common
conversation, which leads me to believe either
that they have a different mode of expressing them-
selves in poetry, or that they borrow their songs
from their neighbors, and what the more particular-
ly induces me to the latter opinion, is, that when-
ever any of the Newchemass, a people from the
Northward and who speak a very different lan-
guage, arrived, they used to tell me that they ex-
pected a new scHig, and were almost always sure
to have one.
Their tunes are gaierally soft and plaintive, and
though not possessing great variety, are not defi-
cient in harmony. — Their singing is^generally ac-
companied with several rude kinds of instrumental
music; among the most prominent of which is a
kind of drum. This is nothing more than a long
plank hollowed out on the under side and made
quit6 thin, which is beat upon by a stick of about
a foot long and renders a sound not unUke beating
on the head of an empty cask, but much louder.
But the two most favorite instruments are the rat-
tle and the pipe or whistle; these are however on-
ly used by the king, the chiefs, or some lyuticular
persons; the former is made of dried seat-skin, so
as to repres^fit a fish, and is filled with a number
of small smooth pebbles, it has a short handle and
is painted red. The whistle is made of bone,
generally the leg of a deer, it is short but emits a
9 A ipecimen of one of thtir war wngi will be hmd at tiie «id
efthiawioffk.
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jewitt's narrative. 73
renr shrill sound. They have likewise another
kind of music, which they make use of in dancing,
in the manner of castanets, tliis is produced by a
number of muscle or cockle shells tied together
and shaken to a kind of tune, which is aecompa-
nied with the voice.
Their slaves, as I have observed, form their
most valuable species of property. — These are of
t>oth sexes, being either captives taken by them-
selves in war, or purchased from the neighboring
tribes, and who reside in the same house, forming
as it were a part of the family, are usually kindly
treated, eat of the same food, and live as well as
their masters. They are compelled however at
times to labour severely, as not only all the meni-
al offices are performed by them, such as bringing
water, cutting wood and a variety of others, but
they are obliged to make the canoes, to assist in
building and repairing the houses, to supply their
masters with fish, and to attend them to war and
to fight for them. None but the king and chiefs
have slaves, the common people being prevented
firom holding them either from thei* inability to
pinrchase them, or as I am the ra'*aer inclined to
think from its being considered as the privilege of
the former alone to have them« especially as all
those made prisoners in war belong either to the
king or the chiefs, who have captured them, each
one holding such as have been taken by himself or
his slaves. There b probably however some lit-
tle distinction in favour of the king, who is always
the commander of the expedition, as Maquina had
nearly fifty, male and female, in his house, a num-
ber constituting about one half of its inhabitants,
comprehending those obtained by war and purchase,
whereas none of the other chiefs bad more than
7
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74 JEWlTT'f KARRATITE.
twelve. The females are employed principaily in
manufacturing cloth, in cooking, collecting berries,
&c. aad with regard to food and living in general
have not a much harder lot than their mistresses,
the principal difference consisting, in these poor
unfortunate creatures being considered as free to
any one, their masters prostituting them whenever
they think proper for the purpose of gain. In tliis
way many of them are brought on board the ships
and offered to the crews, from whence an opinion
appears to have been formed by some of our navi-
gators, injurious to the chasti^ of their females,
than which nothing can be more generally untrue,
as perhaps m no part of the world is tluit virtue
more prized.
The houses at Nootka as already stated, are
about twenty, without comprising those inhabited
by the Klahars, a small tribe that has been con-
quered and incorporated into that of Nootka,
though they must be considered as in a state of
vassalage as they are not permitted to have my
chiefs among them, and hve by themselves in a
cluster of small houses at a little distance from tlie
village. The Nootka tribe which consists of about
five hundred warriors, is not only more numerous
than almost any of the neighbouring tribes, but far
exceeds them in the strength Baad nuurtial spirit of
its people; and in fact there are but few nations
within a hundred miles either to the North or
South but are considered as tributary to them.
In giving some account of the tribes that were
accustomed to visit Nootka, I shall commence at
the^ Southward with the Kla-iz-zarts, and the Wick-
inninish, premising that in point of personal appear-
ance there prevails a wonderful diversity between
ma vtrious tribes on the coast, with the exception
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of the feet mi legs, which are badly shq>ed in al«
most all of them from their practice of silting on
them. The Kla-iz-zarts are a numerous and
powerful tribe, living nearly three hundred miles
to the South, and are said to consist of more than
a thousand warriors. They appear to be more
civilized than any of the others, being better and
more neatly dressed, more mild and afiable in their
manners, remarkable for their sprightliness and
vivacity, and celebrated for their singing and danc-
ing. Th^ exhibit also great marks of im-
provement in whatever is wrought by them; their
canoes, though not superior to those of Nootka in
point of form and lightness, being more highly or-
namented, and their weapons and toob of every
kind have a much higher finish and display more
skill in the workmanship. Their cast of counte-
nance is very different from that of the Nootkians,
their faces being very broad, with a less prominent
nose and smaller eyes, and the top of the head
flattened as if it had been pressed down with a
weight. Their complexion is also much fairer,
and their stature shorter, though they are well
formed and strongly set. They hav© a custom
which appears to be peculiar to them, as I never
observed it in any of the other tribes, which is - to
, pluck out not only their beards, and the hair from
their bodies, but also their eye-brows, so as not
to leave a vestige remaining. They were also in
general more skilful in painting and decorating
themselves, and I have seen some of them with
no less than a dozen holes in each of their 6ars to
which were suspended strings of small beads about
two inches in length. Their language is the same
as spoken at Nootka, but their pronunciation ia
much more hoarse and guttural. Thes« people
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78 jewitt's narratite.
are not only very expert in whaling, but are great
hunters -^ of the sea otter and other animals with
which their country is said to abound, as the Me-
tamelth a large animal of the deer kind, the skin
of which I have ahready spoken of, another of a
light grey colour, with very fine hair from which
they manufacture a handsome cloth, the beaver and
a species of large wild cat, or tyger cat.
The Wickinninish, their neighbours on the
North, are about two hundred miles from Nootka.
They are a robust, strong and warlike people, but
con^dered by the Nootkians as their infenors in
courage. This tribe is more numerous than that
of Nootka, amounting to between six and seven
hundred warriors.. Though not so civilized as the
Kla-iz-zarts and less skilful in their manufactures,
like them they employ themselves in hunting as
well as in whaUng and fishing. Their faces are
broad but less so than the Kla-iz-zarts, with a
darker complexion, and a much less open and
Eleasmg expression of countenance, while their
eads present a very dififerent form, being pressed
in at the sides and lengthened towards the top,
somewhat in the shape of a sugar loaf. These
people are very firequent visitors at Nootka, a
close firiendship subsisting between the two nations,
Maqunia's Arcomah^ or Queen, Y-ya-tintla-no^i
being the daughter of the Wickinnjnish king. The
Kla-oo-quates adjoining them on the North are
imich less numerous, Aeir force not exceeding
four hundred fighting men; they are also behind
them in the arts of life. These are a fierce, bold,
and enterprizing people, and there were none that
visited Nootka, whom Maquma used to be more
on his guard against, or viewed with so much sus-
picion. The Eshquates are about the same num
jewitt's narrative. 77
ber; these are considered as tributary to Maquina:
Their coast abounds with rivers, creeks, and
marshes. To the North the nearest tribe of any
importance is the Aitizzarts ; these however do not
exceed three hundred warriors. In appearance
they greatly resemble the people of Nootka, to
whom they are considered as tributary, their man-
ners, dress, and style of living also being very
similar. They reside at about forty miles distance
up the sound. A considerable way further to the
nortliward are the Cayuquets; these are a much
more numerous tribe than that of Nootka, but
thought by the latter to be deficient in courage and
martial spirit, Maquina having frequently told me
that their hearts were litde like those of birds.
There are also both at the North and South
many other intervening tribes, but in general small
in number and insignificant, all of whom as well as
the above mentioned speak the same language.
But the Newchemass who come from a great way
to the Northward, and from some distance inland,
as I was told by Maquina, speak quite a different
language, although it is well understood by those
of Nootka. These were the most savage looking
and ugly men that I ever saw, their complexion
being much darker, their stature shorter, and their
hair coarser, than that of the other nations, and
their dress and appearance dirty in an extreme.
They wear their beards long like Jews, and have
a very morose and surly countenance. Their usual
dress is a Kootsuck made of wolf skin, with a
number of the tails attached to it, of which I have
seen no less than ten on one garment, hanging from
the top to the bottom; though they sometimes
wear a similar mantle of bark cloth, of a much
coarser texture than that of Nootka, ihe original
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78 jewitt's narratite.
colour of which appears to be the same, though
from their very great fihhiness, it was almost im-
possible to discover what it had been. Their
mode of dressing their hair also varies essentially
from that of the other tribes, for they suffer that
on the back of the head to bang loose, and bind
the other over their foreheads in the manner of a
fillet, with a strip of their country cloth, ornament-
ed with small white shells. Their weapons are
the Cheetoolth^ or war club, which is made from
whale bone, daggers, bows and arrows, and a kind
of spear pointed with bone or copper. They
brought with them no furs for sale, excepting a few
wolf skins, their merchandize consisting principal-
ly of the black shining mineral called pelpelth, and
die fine red paint which they carelully kept in
close mat bags, some small dried salmon, clams,
and roes of fish, with occasionally a little coarse
matting cloth. . They were accustomed to remain
a much longer time at Nootka than the other
tribes, in order to recover fix)m the fatigue of a
long journey, part of which was over land, and on
these occasions taught their songs to our savages.
The trade of most of the other tribes with Nootka
was principally train oil, seal or whale's blubber,
fish fresh or dried, herring or salmon spawn, clams,
and muscles, and the yama^ a species of fruit
which is pressed and dried, cloth, sea otter skins,
and slaves. Prom the Aitizzarts, and the Cayu-
quets,, particularly the former, the best I-whaw
and in die greatest quantities was obtained. The
Eshquates furnished us with wild ducks and geese,
Mrticularly the latter. The Wickinninish and
Kla-iz-zarts brought to market many slaves, the
best sea otter skins, great quantities of oil, whale
cmew, and cakes of the yonia, highly ornamented
JfiWITT'8 llARRATITfi. 70
canoes, some I-whaw, red ochre and pelpelth of
an inferior quality to that obtained from the New-
chemass, but particularly the so much valued Met^
amelth^ and an excellent root called by the Kla-iz-
zarts Q^iawnoose. This is the size of a small on-
ion, but rather longer, being of a tapering form
like a pear, and of a brownish colour. It is cook-
ed by steam, is always brought in baskets ready
prepared for eating, and is in truth a very fine veg-
etable, being sweet, mealy and of a most agreea-
ble flavour. It was highly esteemed by the na-
tives who used to eat it as they did everything else
with train oil. — From the Kla-iz-sarts was also re-
ceived, though in no great quantity, a cloth manu-
factured by them from the fur aLready spoken of,
which feels like wool and is of a grey colour.
Many of the articles thus brought, particularly
die provisions, were considered as presents, or
tributary offerings, but this must be viewed as lit-
tle more than a nominal acknowledgment of supe-
riority, as they rarely failed to get the full amount
of the value of their presents. I have known
eighteen of the great tubs, in which they keep
their provisions, filled with spawn brought in this
way. On these occasions a great feast is always
made, to which not only the strangers, but the
whole village, men, women, and children are gen-
erally invited, and I have seen five of the largest
tubs employed at such time in cooking at the
king's house. At these feasts they generally in-
dulge in eatmg to an excess, making up in this
respect for their want of inebriating liquors, wliich
they know no method of preparing in any form,
their only drink being water.
Whenever they came to visit or trade it was
their general custom, to stop a few miles distant
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80 ^ JEWITT'8 karratite.
under the lee of some bluff or rock, and rig them«
selves out in their best manner, by painting and
dressing their heads. On their first commg on
shore, they were invited to eat by the king, when
Aey brought to him, such articles as he wanted,
after which the rest of the inhabitants were per-
mitted to purchase, the strangers being careful to
keep them in their canoes until sold, under strict
guard to prevent their being stolen, the disposition
of these people for thieving being so great, that it
is necessary to keep a watchfid eye upon them*
This was their usual mode of traffick, but wlien-
ever they wished to purchase any particular object,
as for instance, a certain slave, or some other
thing of which they were very desirous, the canoe
that came for this purpose would lie off at a little
distance from the shore, and a kind of embassador
or representative of the king or chief by whom it
was^sent, dressed in their best manner, and with
his head covered with the white down, would rise,
and after making known the object of his mission
in a pompous speech, hold up specimens of such
articles as he was instructed to offer in payment,
mentioning the number or quantity of each, when
if the bargain was. concluded, the exchange was
immediately made.
On their visits of friendship or traffick, the
chiefs alone used to sleep on shore, this was gen«
erally at the house of the king or head chief, the
others passing the night on board of their canoes,
which was done not only for the preservation of
their property, but because they were not permit-
ted to remain on shore, lest they might excite
some disturbance or commit depredations.
All these people generally go armed, the com-
mon class wearing only a dagger, suspended from
JEWITT's IflRRATITB. 81
their neck behind, with a strbgof metamelth, and
sometimes thrust in their girdles. The chiefs in
addition to the dagger cany the Cheetoolthy or
war-club suspended in the same manner beneath
dieir mantles; this in the hands of a strong man is
a powerful weapon, in the management of which,
some of the older chiefs are very dexterous. It
is made from the bone of a whale, and is very
heavy. The blade is about eighteen inches long
and three broad, till it approaches near the point,
where it expands to the breadth of four inches.
In the middle, from whence it slopes off gradually
to an edge on each side, it is from one to two
inches in thickness. This blade is usually cover*
ed with figures of the sun and moon, a man's head,
&c. and the Ijilt which is made to represent the
head of a man or some animal, is curiously set
with small white shells, and has a band of meta-
melth fastened to it in order to sling it over the
shoulder. Some of the tribes have also a kind of
spe.ar headed with copper or the bone of the sting
ray, which is a dangerous weapon; this is however
not usual, and only carried by the chiefs. The
bow and arrorw are still used by a few, but since
the introduction of fire arms among them, this
weapon has been mostly laid aside.
But to return to our unhappy situation. Though
my comrade and myself fared as well, and even
better than we could have expected among these
people, considering their customs and mode of
living, yet our fears lest no ship would come to
our release, and that we should never more behold
a ChrisUan country, were to us a source of con-
stant pain. Our principal consolation in this
gloomy state, was to go on Sundays, whenever
\i% weather would permit, to the borders of a
83 jewitt's narrative.
fresh water pond, about a mile from the village,
where, after bathing, and putting on clean clothes,
we would seat ourselves ^ under the shade of a
beautiful pine, while I read some chapters in the
Bible, and the prayers appointed by our Church
for the day, ending our devotions with a fervent
prayer to the Almighty that he would deign still to
watch over and preserve our lives, rescue us from
die hands of the savages, and permit us once more
to behold a Christian land. In this manner were
the greater part of our Sundays passed at Nootka;
and I felt grateful to heaven, that amidst our other
sufferings, we were at least allowed the pleasure
of offering up our. devotions unm(Jested, for Ma-
quina, on my explaining to him as well as was in
my power the reason of our thus retiring at this
time, far from objecting, readily consented to it.
The pond above mentioned was small, not more
than a quarter of a mile m breadth and of no great
length, the water being very clear, though not of
great depth, and bordered by a beautiful forest of
pine, fir, elm, and beach, free from bushes and
underwood — a most delightful retreat, which was
rendered still more attractive by a great number
of birds that frequented it, particularly the hum-
ming bird. Thither we used to go to wash our
clothes, and felt secure from any intrusion from
the natives, as they rarely visited it except for the
purpose of cleansing themselves of their paint.
In July we at length thought that the hope of de-
livery we had so long anxiously indulged, was on the
point of being gratified. A sliip appeared in the
offing, but alas, our fond hopes vanished almost as
soon as formed; for instead of standing in for the
shore she passed to the northward and soon disap-
peared. I shall not attempt to describe our disap-
JEWITT*8 NARRATIVE. 68
pomtment — ^my heart sunk within me, md I felt as
though it was my destby never more to behold a
Christian face. Pour days after there occurred a
tremendous storm of thunder and lightning, during
which the natives manifest great alarm and terror,
the whole tribe, hurrymg to Maquina's house,
where, instead of keeping within, they seated
themselves on the roof amid the severest of the
tempest, drumming upon the boards, and looking
up to heaven, while the king beat the. long hollow
plank, singing, and as he afterwards told me, beg-
ging Quahootze, the name they gave to God, not
to kill them, in which he was accompanied by the
whole tribe; this singing and drumming was con-
tinued until the storm abated.
As the summer drew near its close, we began
to suffer from the frequent want of food, which
was principally owing to Maquina and the chiefs
being out whalmg, in which he would not permit
Thompson and myself to join, lest we should
make our escape to some o^ the neighbouring
tribes. At these times the women seldom or ever
cook any provision, and we were often- hungry,
but were sometimes fortunate enough to procure
secretly, a piece of salmon, some other fish, spawn,
or even blubber, which, by boiUng in salt water,
with a few onions and turnips, the remains of the
Spanish garden, or young nettles and other herbs,
furnished us a delicious repast in private. In the
mean time, we frequently received accounts from
the tribes who came to Nootka, both from the
north and south, of there being vessels on the
coast, and were advised by their chiefs to make
our escape, who also promised us their aid, and to
put us on board. These stories, however, as I
afterwards learned, were almost all of them with-
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
84 jewitt's narratite.
out any foundation, and merely invented by these
people with a view to get us into their power in
order to make slaves of us themselves, or to sell
us to others. But I was still more strongly solic-
ited to leave Nootka by a woman. This was a
IVickinninish princess, a younger sister of Maqui-
na's wife, who was there on a visit. I had the good
fortune, if it may be so called, to become quite a
favourite with her. She appeared much interested
for me — ^asked me many questions respecting my
country, if I had a mother and sister at home, and
if they would not grieve for my absence. Her
complexion was fairer than that of the women in gen-
eral, and her features more regular, and she would
have been quite handsome had it not been for a de-
fect m one of her eyes, the sight of which had
been injured by some accident, the reason, as
Maquina told me, why she had not been married, a
defect of this kind being by these savages consid-
ered as almost an insuperable objection. She
urged me repeatedly to return with her, telling me
that the Wickinninish were much better than the
Nootkians; that her father would treat me more
kindly than Maquina, give me better food and
clothes, and finally put me on board one of my own
country vessels. I felt, however, little disposed
to accompany her, considering my situation with
Maquina full as eligible as it would be with the
Wickinninish, if not better, notwithstanding all she
said to the contrary.
On the third of September, the whole tribe
<|uitted Nootka, according to their constant prac-
tice, in order to pass the autumn and winter at
Tashees and Cooptee, the latter lying about thirty
miles up the Sound m a deep bay, the navigation
of which is very dangerous from the great number
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
85
rf reefs and rocks with which it abotafidis. On
these occasions every thing is taken with them,
even the planks of their houses, in order to cover
their new dwellings. To an European, such a
removal exhibits a scene quite novel and strange:
canoes piled up with boards and boxes, and filled
with men, women and children of all ranks and
sizes, making the air resound with their cries and
songs. At these times, as well as when they have
occasion to go some distnu^^e from their houses,
the infants are usually suspended across the moth-
er's shoulders, in a kind of cradle or hammock,
formed of bark, of abdut six mches in depth, and
of the length of the child, by means of a leather
band inserted through loops on its edges; this they
also keep them in when at home, in order to pre-
serve them in a straight position, and prevent any
distortion of the limbs, most probably a prmcipd
cause of these people being so seldom deformed or
crooked.
The long boat of our ship havmg been re-
paired and furnished with a sail by Thompson,
Maquina gave us the direction of it, we b^ing bet-
ter acquainted with managmg it than his people,
and after loading her as deep as she could swim,
we proceeded in comp^uiy with thjem to the north,
quitting Nootka with heavy hearts, as we could
entertain no hopes of release until our return, no
ships ever coming to that part of the coast. Pass-
ing Cooptee, which is situated on the southern
bank, just within the mouth of a small river flow-
ing from the east in a narrow valley at the foot of
a mountain, we proceeded about fifteen miles up
this stream to Tashees, between a range of lofty
hills on each side, which extend a great distance
m-land, and are covered with the feiest '"^"z//.
8
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
86 jewitt's narrative.
trees of tbe countrj. Immediately on our arrival
we all went to work very diligently in covering the
houses with the planks we had brought, the frames
being ready erected, these people never pretend-
ing to remove the timber. In a very short tim^
tlie work was completed, and we were established
in our new residence.
Tashees is pleasantly situated and in a most se-
cure position from the winter storms, in a small
vale or hollow on the south shore, at the foot of a
mountain. The spot on which it stands is level,
and the soil very fine, the^ country in its vicinity
abounding with the most romantic views, charm-
ingly diversified, and fine streams of water falling
in beautiful cascades firom the mountains. The
river at this place is about twenty rods in width,
and .in its deepest part, from nine to twelve feet.
This viUage is the extreme point of navigation, as
immediately beyond, the river becomes much more
shallow, and is broken into rapids and falls. The
houses here are placed in a line Uke those at Noot-
ka, but closer together, the situation being more
confined they are also smaller, in consequence of
which we were much crowded, and incommoded
for room.
The principal object in coming to this place, is
the facility it affords these people of providing
tlieir winter stock of provisions, which consists
principally of salmon, and the spawn of that fish;
to which may be added herring and sprats, and
herring spawn. The latter, however, is always
procured by them at Nootka, previous to their
quitting it. At the seasons of spawning, which
are early m the spring and the last of August, they
collect a great quantity of pine branches, which
they place in different parts of the Cove at the
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
jewitt's ^arratitb. 87
deptli of about ten feet and secure them hy means
of heavy stones. On these the herrmg deposit
their spawn in immense quantities; the bushes are
then taken up, the spawn stripped from the branch-
es, and after being washed and freed from the
pine leaves by the women, is dried and put up in
baskets for use. It is considered as their greatest
delicacy, and eaten both cooked and raw: in the
former case, being boiled and eaten with train oil,
and in the latter, mixed up with cold water alone.
The salmon are taken at Tashees, principally in
pots or wears. Their method of taking diem in
wears is thus: — A pot of twenty feet m length,
and from four to five feet diameter at the mouth, is
formed of a great number of pine splinters which are
strongly secured, an inch and a half from each oth-
er, by means of hoops made of flexible twigs, and
placed about eight inches apart. At the end it
tapers almost to a point, near which is a small
wicker door, for the purpose of taking out the fish.
This pot or wear is placed at the foot of a fall or
rapid, where the water is not very deep, and the
fish driven from above with long poles, are inter-
cepted and caught in the wear, from whence they
are taken into the canoes. In this manner I have
seen more than seven hundred salmon caught in
the space of fifteen minutes. I have also some-
times known a few of the striped bass taken in this
manner but rarely.
At such times there is great feasting and merri-
ment among them. The women and female slaves
being busily employed in cooking, or m curing
the fish for their winter stock, which is done by
cutting off the heads and tails, splitting them, tak-
ing out the back bone, and hanging them up in
their houses to dry. They aho dr^jjj^^^^
86 JEWITT's NARRiLTIYE.
and cod, but these instead of curing whole they
cut up into small pieces for that purpose, and ex-
pose to the sun. The spawn of the salmon, which
is a principal article of their provision, they take
out, and without any other preparation, throw it
into their tubs, where they leave it to stand and
ferment, for though they frequently eat it fresh,
they esteem it much more when it has acquired a
strong taste, and one of the greatest favours they
can confer on any person, is to invite him to eat
Qiuikamiss^ the name they give this food, though
scarcely any thing can be more repugnant to a Eu-
ropean palate, than it is in this state; and when-
ever they took it out of these large receptacles,
which they are always careful to fill, such was the
( tench which it exhaled, on being moved, that it
uas almost impossible for me to abide it, even af-
ter habit, had in a great degree dulled the delicacy
of my senses.-r— When boiled it became less offen-
sive, though it still retained much of the putrid
smell and something of the taste.
Such is the immense Quantity of these fish, and
they are taken with such facility, that I have known
upwards of twenty-five hundred brought into Ma-
Jfuina's house at once, and at one of their great
easts, have seen one hundred or more cooked in
one of their largest tubs.
I used frequently to go out with Maquina upon
these fishing parties, and was always sure to re-
ceive a handsome present of salmon, which I had
the privilege of calling mine; I also went with him
several times in a canoe, to strike the salmon,
which I have attempted to do myself, but could
never succeed, it requiring a degree of adroitness
that I did not possess. I was aJso permitted to
go out with a gun, and was several times very suc-
itizedbyLiOOgre
jewitt's narrative. 89
cessful m shooting wild ducks, and teal, which
are very numerous here, though rather shy. These
they cooked in their usual manner, by boiling, with-
^out any farther dressing than skinning them. In
many respects, however, our situation was less
pleasant here than at Nootka. We were more
Incommoded for room, the houses not being so spa-
cious, nor»so well arranged, and as it was colder,
we were compelled to be much more within doors.
We however, did not neglect on Sundays, when
the weather would admit, to retire into the woods,
and by the side of some stream, after bathing, re-
turn our thanks to God for preserving us, and
offer up to him our customary devotions. I was
however, very apprehensive, soon after our arrival
at this place, that I should be deprived of the
satisfaction of keeping my journal, as Maquina one
day observing me writing in it, enquired of me
what I was doing, and when I endeavoured to ex-
plain it, by telling him that I was keeping an account
of the weather, he said it was not so, and that I
was speaking bad about him and telling how he
bad taken our ship and killed the crew, so as to
inform my countrymen, and that if he ever saw
me writing in it again, he would throw it into the
fire. I was much rejoiced that he did no more
than threaten, and became very cautious afterwards
not to let him see me write.
Not long after I finished some daggers for him,
which I polished highly; these pleased him much,
and he gave me directions to make a cheetoolth,
in which I succeeded so far to his satisfaction,
that he gave me a present of cloth sufficient to
make me a complete suit of raiment, besides other
things. Thompson, also, who had become rather
more of a favourite than formerly, since he had
90 jewitt's nareatite.
made a fine sail for his caaoe, and some garments
for him out of European cloth, about this time
completed another, which was thought by the sav-
ages a most superb dress. This was a Kootsuk
or mantle, a fathom square, made entirely of Eu-
ropean vest patterns of the gayest colours. The3e
were sewed together, in a manner to make the
best show, and bound with a deep trimming of the
finest otter skin, with which the arm-Jioles were
also bordered ; while the bottom was farther em-
bellished with five or six rows of gilt buttons, pla-
ced as near as possible to each other. Nothing
could exceed the pride of Maquina when he fii;^
Sut on tliis royal robe, decorated like the coat of
oseph, with all the colours of the rainbow, and
glittering with the buttons, which as he strutted-
dbout made a tinkling, while he repeatedly ex-
claimed in a transport of exultation, Klew shish
Katsuck — wiek kum ataek Jfaotka, A fine gar-
ment — Nootka cant make him.
Maquina, who knew that the chiefs of the tribes
who came to visit us, had endeavoured to persuade
me to escape, frequently cautioned me not to listen
to them, saying diat should I make the attempt,
and he were to take me, he should certainly put
me to death. While here he gave me a book in
which I found the names of seven persons belong-
ing to the ship Manchester of Philadelphia, Capt.
Brian, viz. — Daniel Smith, Lewis Gillon, James
Tom, Clark, Johnson, Ben and Jack. These
men, as Maquina informed me, ran away firom the
ship, and came, to him, but that six of th^n soon
after went ofiT in the night, with an intention to go
to the Wickinninish, but were stopped by the
Eshai'*'-tes, and sent back to him, and that he or<-
0x^1 ed theiu to be put to deaith; and a myost cruel
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jswitt's narkatiyb. 91
death it was, as I was told by one the natives,
our men holding one of them on the ground, and
forcing open his mouth, while they choaked him
by ramming stones down his throat. As to Jack the
boy, who made no attempt to go off, Maquiha after-
wards sold him to the Wickinninish. I was in-
formed by the princess Yuqua^ that he was quite a
small boy, who cried a great deal, being put to
bard labour beyond his strength by the natives, in
cutting wood and bringing water, and that when
he heard of the*murder of our crew, it had such
an effect on him that he fell sick and died shortly
^er. On learning the melancholy fate of this un-
fortunate lad, it again awakened in my bosom those
feelings that I had experienced at the shocking
death of my poor comrades.
The king finding that I was desirous of learning
their language, was much delighted, and took great
pleasure in conversing with me. On one of these
occasions, he explained to me his reasons for cut-
ting off our ship, saying that he bore no ill will to
my countrymen, but that he had been several times
treated very ill by them. The first injury of
which he had cause to complain, was done him by
a Ciqptain Tawnington, who commanded a schoon-
er which passed a winter at Friendly Cove, where
be was well treated by the inlu^itants. This maa
taking advantage of Maquina's absence, who had
cone to the Wickinninish to procure a wife, armed
himself and crew, and entered the house where
there were none but women, wlrom he threw into
the greatest constematicoi, and .searching the
chests, took away all the skins, of which Maqui*
na had no less than forty of the best; and that
about the same time, four of their chiefs were bar*
barously killed by a Ca^ain Martinez%^ Spaniard*
litized by VjOC
92 jewitt's narrative.
That soon after Captain Hanna, of the Sea-Otter,
in conseqnence of one of the natives having stolen
a chisel from the carpenter, fired upon their ca^
noes which were along side, and killed upwards
of twenty of the natives, of whom several were
Tyees or chiefs, and that he himself being on
board the vessel, in order to escape was obliged
to leap from the quarter deck, and swim for a long
way under water.
The Sea Otter firinf upon the Natives.
These injuries had excited in the breast of Ma-
qmna, an ardent desire of revenge, the strongest
passion of the savage heart, and though many
years had elapsed since their commission, still
they were not forgotten, and the want of a favoura-
ble opportunity alone prevented him from sooner
avengmg them. Unfortunately for us, the lone
wished for opportunity at length presented itself
in our ship, which Maquina finding not guarded
with the usual vigilance of the North West Trad-
ers, and feeling his desire of revenge rekmdled by
the insult offered by Capt. Salter, form»d a plan for
93
attackin|, and on his return, called a council of
his chiefs, and communicated it to them, acquaint-
ing them with the manner in which he had heeii
treated. No less desirous of avenging this affiront
offered their king, than the former injuries, they
readily agreed to his proposal, which was to go on
board without arms as usual, but under different
f>retexts, in greater numbers, and wait his signal
or the moment of attacking their unsuspecting
victims. The execution of this scheme, as the
reader knows, was unhappily too successful. —
And here I cannot but indulge a reflection that has
frequently occurred to me on the manner in which
our people behave towards the natives. For
though they are a thievish race, yet I have no
doubt that many of the melancholy disasters have
principally arisen from the imprudent conduct of
some of the captains and crews of the ships em-
ployed in this trade, in exasperating them by insult-
mg, plundering, and even killing them on slight
groimds. This, as nothing is more sacred with a sav-
age than the principle of revenge, and no people are
so impatient under insult, induces them to wreak
their vengeance upon the first vessel or boat's crew
that offers, making the innocent too frequently suffer
for the wrongs of the guilty, as few of them know
to discriminate between persons of the same general
appearance, more especially when speaking the
same language. And to this cause do I believe, must
principally be ascribed the sanguinary disposition
with which these people are reproached, as Ma-
quina repeatedly told me that it was not his wish to
hurt a white man, and that he never should have done
it, though ever so much in his power, had they
not injured him. And were the commanders of
our ships to treat the savi^es with rather morf
• Digitized by VjOOQ iC
94 jewitt's narrative.
civility than they sometimes do, I am inclined to
think they would find their account in it; not that
I should recommend to them a confidence in the
good faith and friendly professions of these people,
so as in any degree to remit their vigilance, but on
the contrary, to be strictly on their guard, and
suffer but a very few of them to come on board
the ship, and admit not many of their canoes along
side at a time; a precaution that would have been
the means of preventing some of the unfortunate
events that have occurred, and if attended to,
may in future, preserve many a valuable life.
Such a regulation too, from what I know of their
disposition and wants, would produce no serious
diflSculty in trading with the savages, and they
would soon become perfectly reconciled to it.
Among the provisions which the Indians pro-
cure at Tashees, I must not omit mentioning a
fruit that is very important, as forming a great ar-
ticle of their food. This is what is called by them
the Yamaj a species of berry that grows in bunch-
es like currants, upon a bush from two to three
feet high, with a large, round and smooth leaf.
This berry is black, and about the size of a pistol
shot, but of rather an oblong shape, and open at
tlie top like the blue whortleberry. The taste is
sweet but a little acrid, and when first gathered, if
eaten in any great quantity, especially without oil, is
apt to produce cholics. To procure it, large
companies of women go out on the mountains, ac-
companied by armed men, to protect them against
wild beasts, where they frequently remain for sev-
eral days, kindling a fire at night, and sheltering
themselves under sheds constructed of boughs.
At these parUes, they collect great quantities. I
have known Maquina's queen and her women re-
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JEWITT's IfAKRATITE. 95
turn loaded, bringing with them upwards of twelve
bushels. In order to preserve it, it is pressed in
the bunches between two planks, and dried and
put away in baskets for use. It is always eaten
with oil.
Of berries of various kinds, such as strawber-
ries, rasp-berries, black-berries, &c. there are
great quantities in the country, of which the natives
are very fond, gathering them in their seasons, and
eating them with oil, but the yama is the onl/ one
that they preserve.
Fish is, however, their great article of focd, as
almost all the others, excepting the yama, may be
considered as accidental. — They nevertheless are
far from disrelishing meat, for instance, venison and
bear's flesh. With regard to the latter, they have
a most sin^lar custom, which is, that any one
who eats of it is obliged to abstain from eating any
kind of fresh fish whatever, for the term of two
months, as they have a superstitious belief, that
should any of their people after tasting bear's
flesh, eat of fresh salmon, cod, &c. the fish, though
at ever so great a distance oflT, would come to the
knowledge of it, and be so much offended thereat,
as not to allow themselves to be taken by any of the
inhabitants. This I had an opportunity of obser-
ving while at Tashees, a bear having been killed
early in December, of which not more than ten
of the natives would eat, being prevented by the
prohibition annexed to it, which also was the rea-
. son of my comrade and myself not tasting it, on
being told by Maquina the consequence.
As there is something quite curious in their man-
agement of this animal, when they have killed one,
I shall give a description of it. After well cleans-
ing the bear from the dirt and blood, with which
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
96 jewitt's KARRaTITE.
it is generally covered when killed, it is brought
in and seated opposite the king in an upright pos-
ture, with a chief's bonnet, wrought in figures on
Its head, and its fur powdered over with the white
down. A tray of provision is then set before it,
and it is invited by words and gestures to eat.
This mock ceremony over, the reason of which I
could never learn, the animal is taken and skin-
ned, and the flesh and entrails boiled up into a
soup, no part, but the paunch being rejected.
Thompson and one of the Indians shooting a Bear.
This dressing the bear as they call it, is an oc-
casion of great rejoicing throughout the village,
all the inhabitants being invited to a great feast at
the king's house, though but few of them, in con-
sequence of the penalty, will venture to eat of the
flesh, but generally content themselves with their
favourite dish of herring spawn and water. The
feast on this occasion was closed by a dance from
Sat'Sat'Sak'Sis^ in the manner I have already de-
scribed, in the course of which he repeatedly shifted
his mask for another of a different form.
A few days after a second bear wag taken like
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jewitt's narratite* m
ihe fonner, by means of a trap. This I had the
curiosity to go and see at the place where it was
caught, which was ha the foDowing manner. On
the edge of a small stream of water in the moun-
tains, which the salmon ascend, and near the
spot where the bear is accustomed to watch for
them, which is known by its track, a trap or box
about the heighth of a man's head is built of posts
and planks with a flat top, on which are laid a
number of large stones or rocks. The top and
sides are then carefully covered with turf, so as to
resemble a little mound, and wholly to exclude the
light, a narrow entrance of the height of the build-
ing only being left, just sufficient to admit the
head and shoulders of the beast. On the inside,
to a large plank that covers the top, is suspended
by a strong cord a salmon, the plank being left
loos^ so that a forcible pull will bring it down.
On coming to its usual haunt, the bear enters the
trap, and m endeavouring to pull away the fish,
brings down the whole covering with its load of
stones upon its head, and is almost always crushed
to death on the spot, or so wounded as to be im-
able to escape. They are always careful to ex-
amine these traps every day, in order if a bear be
caught, to bring it away, and cook it immediately,
for it is not a little singular, that these people will
eat no kind of meat that is in the least tainted, or
not perfectly fresh, while, on the contrary, it is
hardly possible for fish to be in too putrid a state
for them, and I have frequently known them when
a whale has been driven ashore, bring pieces of it
home with them in a state of offensiveness insup-
portable to any thing but a crow, and devour it
with high relish, considering it as preferable to that
which is firesh.
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
98 jewitt's karratite.
On the morning of the 13th of December, com-
menced what appeared to us a most singular farce.
Apparently without any previous notice, Maquina
discharged a pistol close to his son's ear, who im-
mediately fell down as if killed, upon which all the
women of the house set up a most lamentable cry,
tearing handfulls of hair from their heads, and ex-
claiming that the prince was dead, at the same time
a great number of the inhabitants, rushed into tlie
house armed with their daggers, muskets, &c. en-
quiring the cause of their outcry; these were im-
mediately followed by two others dressed in wolf
skins, with masks over their faces representing the
head of that animal; the latter came in on their
hands and feet in the manner of a beast, and taking
up the prince carried him off upon dieir backs,
retiring in the same manner they entered. We
saw nothing more of the ceremony, as Maqnina
came to us, and giving us a quantity of dried pro-
vision, ordered us to quit the house and not return
to the village before the expiration of seven days,
for that if we appeared within that period, he should
kill us.
At any other season of the year such an order
would by us have been considered as an indul-
gence, in enabling us to pass our time in whatever
way we wished, and even now, furnished as we
were, with sufficient provision for that term, it
was not very unpleasant to us, more particularly
Thompson, who was always desirous to keep as
much as possible out of the society and sight of
the natives, whom he detested. Taking witli us
our provisions, a bundle of clothes, and our axes,
we obeyed the directions of Maquina, and with-
drew into the woods, where we built ourselves a
cabin to shelter us, with the branches of treos, and
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
Hewitt's narratitb. ' 99
keeping up a good fire, secured ourselves pretty
well from the cold. Here we passed the prescrib-
ed period of our exile, with more content than
much of the time while with them, employing the
day in reading and praying for our release, or in
rambling around and exploring the country, the
soil of which we found to be veiy good, and the
face of it, beautifully diversified with hills and val-
leys, refreshed with the finest streams of water,
and at night enjoyed comfortable repose upon a
bed of soft leaves, with our garments spread over
us to protect us from the cold.
At the end of seven days we returned and found
several of the poeple of A-i-tiz-zart with their
king or chief at Tashees, who had been invited
l^ Maquina to attend the close of this performance,
which I now learn was a celebration, held by them
annually, in honour of their God, whom they call
Q^uahootze^ to return him their thanks for his past,
and implore his future favours. It terminated on
the 21st, the day after our return, with a most ex-
traordinary exhibition. Three men, each of
whom had two bayonets run through his sides,
between the ribs, apparently regardless of the pain,
traversed the room, backw^<ls and forwards, sing-
ing war songs, and exulting in this display of
firmness.
On the arrival of the 25th, we could not but
call to mind, that this being Christmas, was in our
country a day of the greatest festivity, when our
fellow cpuntrymen assembled in then* churches,
were celebrating the goodness of God, and the
praises of the Saviour. What a reverse did our
situation offer— -captives in a savage land, and slaves
to a set of ignorant beings unacquainted with religion
or humanity, hardly were we permitted to offer up
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100 JSWITT*8 KAKRATITE.
our devotions by ourselves in the woods, while we
felt even grateful for this privilege. Tliither with the
king's permission, we withdrew, and after reading
the service appointed for the day, sung the hymn of
the Nativity, fervently praying that heaven in its
goodness, would permit us to celebrate the next
festival of this kind in some Christian land. Otl our
return, in order to conform as much as was in our
[Miwer to the custom of our country, we were de-
sirous of having a bettei supper than usual. With
this view we bought from one of the natives,
some dried clams and oil, and a root called Klet^
9upy which we cooked by steaming, and found it
very palatable. This root consists of many fibres,
of about six inches long, and of the size of a crow
quill. It is sweet, of an agreeable taste, not un-
like the Q,uanoosey and it is eaten with oil. The
plant that produces it I have never seen.
On the 3 1 St, all the tribe quitted Tasheesfor
Cooptee, whither they go to pass the remainder
of the winter, and complete their fishing, taking
off every thing with them in the same manner as at
Nootka. We arrived in a few hours at Cooptee,
which is about fifteen miles, and immediately set
about covering the houses, which was soon com*
pleted.
This place, which is their great herring and
sprat fishery, stands just within the mouth of the
river, on the same side with "Tashees, in a very
narrow valley at the foot of a high mountain.
Though nearly as secure as Tashees from the win-
ter storms, it is by no means so pleasantly situa-
ted, though to us it was a much more agreeable
residence, as it brought us nearer Nootka, where we
were impatient to return, in hopes of finding some
vessel tber*, or hearing of the arrival of one near.
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jewitt's narratiyc. 101
The first snow that fell this season, was the day
after our arrival, on New- Years ; a day that like
Christmas, brought with it, painful reccollections,
but at the same time led us to indulge the hope of
a more fortunate year than the last.
Early on the morning of the 7th of January,
Maquina took me with him in his canoe on a visit
to Upquesta^ chief of the A-i-tiz-zarts, who had
invited him to attend an exhibition at his village,
similar to the one with which he had been enter-
tained at Tashees. This place is between twen-
ty and thirty miles distant up the sound, and stands
on the banks of a small river about the size of that
of Cooptee, just within its entrance, in a valley of
much greater extent than that of Tashees ; it con-
sists of fourteen or fifteen houses, buik and dis-
posed in the manner of those at Nootka. The
tribe, which is considered as tributary to Maqui-
na, amounts to about three hundred warriors, and
the inhabitants, both men and women, are among
the best looking of any people on the coast.
On our arrival we were received at the shore by
the inhabitants, a few of whoni were armed with
muskets, which they fired, with loud shouts and
exclamations of Wocashj wocash.
We were welcomed by the chieTs messenger,
or master of ceremonies, dressed in his best gar-
ments, with his hair powdered with white down,
and holding in his hand the cheetoolth, the badge
of his ofiice. This man preceded us to the chiefs
house, where he introduced and pointed out to us
our respective seats. On entering, the visitors
tpok off their hats, which they always wear on
similar occasions, and Maquina his outer robes, of
which he has several on whenever he pays a visit,
and seated himsetf near the chief. As I was dress-
9* tized by Google
102 jewitt's narratite.
ed in European clothes I became quite an object
of curiosity to tiiese people,' very few of whom
had ever seen a white man. They crowded around
rae in numbers, taking hold of ray clothes, exam-
ining my face, hands and feet, and even open-
ing my mouth to see if f had a tongue, for not-
withstanding I had by this time become well ac-
quainted with their language, I preserved the
strictest silence, Maquina on oui* first landing hav-
ing enjoined me not to speak, until he should di-
rect. Having undergone this examination for some
time, Maquina at length made a sign to me to speak
to them. On hearing me address them in their
own language, they were greatly astonished and
delighted, and told Maqiiina tliat they now per-
ceived that I was a man like themselves, except
that I was white and looked like a seal, alluding to
my blue jacket and trowsers, which they wantetl
to persuade me to take ofi\ as tliey did not like
their appearance. Maquina in die mean time gave
an account to tlie chief, of tlie scheme he had
formed for surprising our ship, and the manner in
which he and his peopb had carried it into execu-
tion, with such particular and horrid details of that
transaction as chilled tlie blood in my veins. Trays
of boiled herring spawn and train oil were soon af-
ter brought in and placed before us, neither the
chief or any of his people eating at the same time,
it being contrary to the ideas of hospitality enter-
tained by these nations, to eat any part of the food
that is provided for strangers, always waiting
until their visitors have finished, before they have
their own brought in.
The following day closed their festival with an
exhibition of a similar kind, to that which bad been
given at Tashees, but still more cruel, the different
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lOS
tribes appearing on these occasions to endeavour to
surpass each other, in their proofs of fortitude and
endurance of pain. In the morning twenty men
entered the chiefs house, with each an arrow run
through the flesh of his sides, and either arm, with
a cord fastened to the end, which as the performers
advanced, singing and boasting, was forcibly drawn
back by a person having hold of it. After this
perforntance was closed we returned to Cooptee,
which we reached at midnight, our men keeping
time with their songs to the stroke of their pad-
dles.
The natives now began to take the herring and
^rat in immense quantities, with some salmon,
and there was nothing but feasting from morning
till night. The following is the method they em-
ploy to take the herring. A stick of about seven
feet long, two inches broad, and half an inch thick,
is formed from some hard wood, one side of wtuch
is set with sharp teeth, made from whale bone, at
about half an inch apart. Provided with this in-
strument, the fisherman seats himself in the prow
of a canoe, which is paddled by another, and when-
ever he comes to a shoal of herring, which cover
the water in great quantities, he strikes it with
both hands upon them, and at the same moment
turning it up, brings it over the side of the canoe,
into which he lets those that are taken drop. It is
astonishii^ to see how many are caught by those
who are dextorous at this kind of fishing, as they
seldom fail when the shoals are numerous, of tak-
ing as many as ten or twelve at a stroke, and in a
very short time will fill a canoe widi them. Sprats
are likewise caught in a similar manner.
About tlie beginning of February, Maquina gave a
great feast, at which were present not only all the
Digitized by VjOOQ IC
104 jewitt's narkatitk.
inhabitants, but one hundred persons from A-i-
tiz-zart, and a number from Wickinninish, who
had been invited to attend it. It is customary with
them to give an annual entertainment of this kind,
and it is astonishing to see what a quantity of pro-
vision is expended, or rather wasted on such bn
occasion, when they always eat to the greatest ex-
cess. It was at this feast that I saw upwards ot
a hundred salmon cooked in one tub. The whole
residence at Cooptee presents an almost uninter-
rupted succession of feasting and gormon(Bzing,
and it would seem as if the principal object of these
people was to consume their whole stock of pro-
vision before leaving it, trusting entirely to their
success in fishing and whaling, for a supply at
Nootka.
On the 25th of February, we quitted Cooptee,
and returned to Nootka. With much joy did
Thompson and myself again find ourselves in a place^
where notwithstanding the melancholy recollections
which it excited, we hoped before long to see some
vessel arrive to our relief; and for this we became
the more solicitous, as of late we had become much
more apprehensive of our safety in consequence of •
information brought Maquina a few days before
we left Cooptee, by some of the Cayuquets, that
there were twenty ships at the northward prepar-
ing to come against him, with an intention of des-
troying him and his whole tribe, for cutting off the
Boston. This story which was wholly without
foundation, and discovered afterwards to have been
invented by these people, for the purpose of disqui-
eting him, threw him into great alarm, and notwith-
standing all I could say to convince him that it
was an unfounded report, so great was his jealousy
of us, especially after it had been confirmed to
Digitized by Google
JKWITT*! HAKEATITC. lOS
hkn I^ some others o! the same nation, that he
treated us with much harshnes^^ and kept a very
suspicious eye upon us. Nothing indeed could
be more unpleasant than our present situation,
when I reflected that our lives were altogether de*
pendent on the will of a savage, on whose caprice
^d suspicions no rational calculation could be
made.
Not loi^ after our return, a son of Maquina's
sister, a boy dhout eleven years old, who had been
for some time declining, died. Immediately on
his death, which was about midnight, all the men
and women in the house, set up loud cries and
shrieks, which awakening Thompson and myself,
so disturbed us diat we left the house. This
lamentation was kept up during die remainder of
the night. In the morning, a great fire was kin*
died, b which Maquina burned in honour of 4e de-
ceased, ten fathoms of cloth, and buried with him
ten fathoms more, eight of I-whaw, four prime
sea otter skins, and two smd! trunks, containing our
unfortunate captain's clothes and watch. This
boy was considered as a Tyee or chief, being the
only son of Tootoosehy one of their principal
chiefs, who had married Maquina 's sister, whence
arose this ceremony on his interment; it being an
established custom with these people, that when-
ever a chief dies,, his most valuable property is
burned or buried with him; it is, however, wholly
confined to the chiefs, and appears to be a marie
of honour appropriate to them In this instance
Maquina furnished the articles, m order that his
nephew might have the proper honours rendered
him. Tootoosch his fatlier was esteemed the first
warrior of the tribe, and was one who hnd been
particularly active in the destruction of our ship,
Digitized by VjOOQIC •
06 JBWITt's NARftATITC.
naTuig kiUed two of our poor comrades, who were
ashore, \diose names were Hall and Wood.
About the time of our removal to Tashees, while
in the enjoyment of the highest health, he was
suddenly seized with a fit of delirium, in which
he fancied that he saw the ghosts of those two men
constancy standing by him, and threatening him,
so that he would take no food, except what was
forced into his mouth. A short time bdbre this,
he had lost a daughter of about fifteen years of
age, which afflicted him greatly, and whether his
insanity, a disorder very uncommon amongst these
savages, no instance of the kind having occurred
within the memory of the oldest man amongst
than, proceeded from this cause, or that it was
the special interpositicHi of an aH mercifii) Ood in
our favour, who by this means thought proper to
induce these barbarians still farther to respect oiht
Hves, or that for hidden purposes, the Supreme
Disposer of events, sometimes permits the spirits
of the dead to revisit the worid, and haunt the
murderer I know not, but his mind from this period
nntil his death, which took place but a few weeks
aft^ that of his son was incessantly occupied with
the images of the men whom he had killed. This
circumstance made much impression upon the tribe,
particularly the chiefs, whose uniform 0{q)Osition
to putting us to death, at the various councils that
were held on our account, I could not but in part
attribute to this cause, and M aquina used fi'equent-
y in speaking of Tootoosch's sickness, to express
much satisfaction that his hands had not been
stained with the blood of eny of our men. When
Maquina was first mformed by his sister, of the
strange conduct of her husband, he immediately
went to his house, taking us with him; sus^^ov^*..^
Digitized by Google
jcwitt's narratitx. 107
that his disease had beeo cmised by us, and that the
ghosts of our countrymen had been cdled thither by
us, to torment him. We found him raving about
Hall and Wood, saying that they were peshak^
that is bad. Maquina then placed some provision
tefore him to see if he would eat. On perceiv-
ing it, he put forth his hand to take some, but in-
stantly withdrew it with signs of horror, saying
that Hall and Wood were there, and would not
let him eat. Maquina then pointing to us, asked
if it was not John and Thompson who troubled
faim. ' Wiky he replied, that is, no, John klush-
ish — Thompson klushish — John and Thompson
are both good; then turning to me, and patting me
on the shoulder, he made si^s to me to eat. I
tried to persuade him that Hall and Wood were
not there, and that none were near him but our-
selves: he said, I know very well you do not see
them, but I do. At first Maquina endeavoured to
convince him that he saw nothing, and to laugh
him out of his belief, but finding that all was to no
purpose, he at lengdi became serious, and asked
me if I had ever seen any one afiected in this
manner, and what was the matter with him. I
gave him to understand, pointing to his head, that
his brain was injured, and that he did not see
things as formerly. Being convinced by Too-
toosch's conduct, that we had no agency in his
indisposition, on our return hoftie, Maquina asked
me what was done in my country in similar cases.
I told him that such persons were closely confin-
ed, and sometimes tied up and whipped, in order
to make them better. After pondermg for some
time, he said that he should be glad to do any
thing to relieve him, and that he should be whip-
ped) and immediately gave orders to some of hi^
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
men, to go to Tootoosch's bouse, bind him, and
Yjinng him to his, in order to undergo the op-
eratum, Thompson was the person selected to
adnodnister this remedy, which he undertook very
readily, and for that purpose provided himself with
a good number of spruce branches, with which he
whipped him most severelj, la^g it on with the
best will imaginable, while Tootoosch displayed
ihe greatest rage, kicking, spitting, and attempting
to bite all who came near him. 'Hm was too much
for Maquina, who, at length, unable to endure it
lon^r, ordered Thcnnpson to denst, and Tootoosch
to be carried back, saying that if th^re was no
other way of curing him but by whippii^, he muat
remain inad.
The application of the whip produced no bene-
ficial effect on Tootoosch, for he afterwards became
still more deranged ; in his fits of fury sometimes
Beizmg a club, and beating his slaves in a most
dreadful manner, and striking and spitting at all who
came near him, till at length his wife no longer
daring to remain in the house with him, came with
her son to Maquina's.
The whaling season now commenced, and Ma-
qxdna was out almost every day in his canoe in
pursuit of them, but for a condderable time, with
no success, one day breakmg the staff of his har-
poon, another, after having been a long time fast
to a whale and the weapon drawing, owing to the
breaking oi the shell which formed its pomt, with
several such like accident, arising from ihe im-
perfection (^ the instrument. At these times he
always returned very morose and out of temper,
upbraiding Jiis men with having violated theur ob-
l&ation to continence preparatory to whaling. In
tms state of ill humor^ he would give us very lit-
Digitized by Google
JEWITT'S NARRATIVE* 109
tie to eat, which added to the women not cook-
ing when the men are away, reduced us to very-
low fare.
In consequence of the repeated occurrence of
similar accidents, I proposed to Maquina to make
him a harpoon or foreganger of stfeel, which would
be less liable to fail him. The idea pleased him,
and in a short time I completed one for him, with
which he was much delighted, and the very next
day went out to make trial of it. He succeeded
with it in taking a whale. . Great was the joy
throughout the village as soon as it was known
that tfie king had secured the whale, by notice
firom a person stationed at the head-land in the off-
ing. All the canoes were immediately launched,
and, furnished with harpoons and seal skin floats,
hastened to assist in buoying it up and in towing it
in. The bringing in of this fish exhibited a scene
of universal festivity. As soon as the canoes ap-
peared at the mouth of th6 cove, those on board
of them singing a song of triumph to a slow air, to
which they kept time with their paddles, all who
were on shore, men, women, and children, mount-
ed the roofs of their houses, to congratulate the
king on his success, drumming most furiously on
the planks, and exclaiming Wocash — wocash Tyee.
The whale on being drawn on shore, was im-
mediately cut up, and a great feast of the blubber
given at Maqui la's house, to which all the village
were invited, who indemnified themselves for their
lent, by eating as usual to excess. I was high-
ly praised for the goodness of my harpoon, and a
quantity of blubber given me, which I was permit-
ed to cook as I pleased, this I boiled in salt water
with some young nettles and other greens for
10
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
1 10 jewitt's narratitk.
Thompson and myself^ and in this way we found
it tolerable food.
Their method of procuring the oil, is to skim
it from the water in which the blubber is boiled,
and when cool, put it up into whale bladders for
use, and of these I have seen them so large as,
when filled, would require no less than five or six
men to carry. Several of the chiefs, among whom
were Maquina's brothers, who after the king has
caught the first whale, are privileged to take them
also, were very desirous, on discovering the su-
f)eriority of my harpoon, that I should make some
or them, but this Maquina would not permit, re-
serving for himself this improved weapon. He
however gave me dkections to make a number
more for himself, which I executed, and also made
him several lances, with which he was greatly
pleased.
As these people have some very singular obser-
vances preparatory to whaling, an account of them
will, I presume, not prove uninteresting, especially
as it may serve to give a better idea of their man-
ners. A short time before leaving Tashees, the
king makes a point of passing a day alone on the.
mountain, whither he goes very privately early in
the morning, and does not return till late in the
evening. This is done, as I afterwards learned,
for the purpose of singing and praying to his God
for success in whaling the ensuii.z season. At
Cooptee the same ceremony is performed, and at
Nootka after the return thither, with still greater
solemnity, as for the next two days he appears
very tlioughtful and gloomy, scarcely speaking to
any one, and observes a most rigid fast. On these
occasions, he has always a broad red fillet made
Digitized by Cj.OOQ iC
JEWITT'S NAftBATITE. Ill
of bark, bound around bis head, in token of humili-
ation, with a large branch of green spruce on the
top, and his great rattle in his hand. In addition
to this, for a week before commencing their whal-
ing, both himself and the crew of his canoe ob-
serve a fast, eating but very little, and going into
the water several times in the course of each day
to bathe, singing and rubbing their bodies, limbs
and faces with shells and bushes, so that on their
return I have seen them look as though they had
been severely torn with briers. They are like-
wise obliged to abstain from any commerce with
their women for the like period, the latter restric-
tion being considered as indispensable to their suc-
cess.
Early in June Tootoosch, the crazy chief, died.
On being acquainted with his death the whole vil-
lage, men, women, and children set up a loud
cry, with every testimony of the greatest grief,
which they continued for more thafi three hours.
As soon as he was dead, the body, according to
their custom, was laid out on a plank, having the
head bound round with a red bark fillet, which is
with them an emblem of mourning and sorrow.
After laying some time in this manner, he was
wrapped in an otter skin robe, and three fathoms
of I-whaw being put about his neck, he was placed
in a large coffin or box about tbree feet deep,
which was ornamented on die outside with two
rows of the small white shells. In this, the most
valuable articles of his property were placed with
him, among which were no less than twenty-four
prime sea-otter skins. At night, which is their
time for interring the dead, the coffin was borne
by eight men with two poles, thrust through ropes
passed around it, to the place of burial, accom-
112 jewitt's habratitb.
panied byliis wife and family, with their hair cut
short, in token of grief, all the inhabitants joining
the procession. The place of burial was a large
cavern on the side of a hill at a Uttle distance from
the village, in which, after depositing the coffin
carefully, all the attendants repaired to Maquina's
house, where a number of articles belonging to the
deceased, consisting of blankets, pieces of cloth,
&c. were burned by a person appointed by Ma-
quina for that purpose, dressed and painted in the
highest style, with his head covered with white
down, who, as he put in the several pieces, one by
one, poured upon diem a quantity of oil to increase
the flame, in the intervals between, making a
speech and playing off a variety of buffoon tricks,
and the whole closed with a feast and dance from
Sat-sat-sak-sis, the king's son.
The man who performed the ceremony of burn-
ing on this occasion, was a very singular charac-
ter, named Kinneclimmets. He was held in high
estimation by the king, though only of the com-
mon class, probably from his talent for mimicry
and buffoonry, and might be considered as a kind
of king's jester, or rather as combining in his per-
son the character of a buffoon with that of master
of ceremonies, and public orator to his majesty,
as he was the one who at feasts always regulated'
the place of the guests, delivered speeches on re-
ceiving or returning visits, besides amusing the
company at all their entertainments, with a variety
of monkey pranks and antic gestures, which ap-
peared to these savages the height of wit and hu-
mour, but would be considered as extremely low
by the least polished people. Almost all the kings
or head chiefs of the principal tribes, were accom-
panied by a similar character, who appeared to be
jewitt's narrative. 113
attached to their dignity, and are called in their
language, Climmer-habbee.
This man, Kinneclimmets^ was particularly
odious to Thompson, who would never join in the
laugh at his tricks, but when he began, would al-
most always quit the house with a very surly look,
and an exclamation of, cursed fool! which Maqui-
na, who thought nothing could equal the cleverness
of his Climmer-habbee y used to remark with much
dissatisfaction, asking me why Thompson never
laughed, observing that I must have had a very
good tempered woman indeed for ray mother, as
my father was so very ill-natured a man. Among
tliose performances that gained him the greatest
applause, was his talent of eating to excess, for I
have known him devour at one meal, no less than
seventy-five large herring, and at another timo
when a great feast was given by Maquina, he un-
^dertook, after drinking three pints of oil by way
of whet, to eat four dried salmon, and five quarts
of spawn, mixed up with a gallon of trsdn oil, and
actually succeeded in swallowing the greater part
of this mess, until his stomach became so over-
loaded, as to discharge its contents in the dish.
One of his exhibitions, however, had nearly cost
him his life, this was on occasion of Kla-quak-
ee-na^ one of the chiefs, having bought him a new
wife, in celebration of which he ran three times
through a large fire, and burned himself in such a
manner, that he was not able to stir for more than
four weeks. These feats of savage skill were
much praised by Maquina, who never failed to
make him a present, of cloth, muskets, &c. on
such occasions.
The death of Tootoosch increased still more
the disquietude which his delirium had excited
114 JEWITT*S XTARRATIYE.
among the savages, and all those chiefs who had
killed our men became much alarmed, lest they
should be seized with the same disorder and die
like him; more particularly, as I had told Maquina,
that I believed his insanity was a punishment in-
flicted on him by Q,uahootzej for liis cruelty in
murdering two innocent men, who had never in-
jured him.
Our situation had now become unpleasant in the
extreme. The summer was so far advanced, that
we nearly despaired of a ship arriving to our relief,
and with that expectation, almost relinquished the
hope of ever having it in our power to quit this
savage land. We were treated too with less in-
dulgence than before, both Thompson and myself
being obh'ged, in addition to our other employ-
ments, to perform the laborious task of cutting and
collecting fuel, which we had to bring on our
Moulders from nearly three miles distant, as it^
consisted wholly of dry trees, all of which near
the village, had been consumed. To add to this,
we suffered much abuse from the common people,
who, when Maquina or some of the chiefs were
not present, would insult us, calling us wretched
slaves, asking us where was owr Tyee or captain,
making gestures signifying that his head had been
cut off, and tliat they would do the like to us;
though they generally took good care at such times
to keep well out of Thompson's reach, as they
bad more than once experienced to their cost the
strength of his fist. This conduct was not only
provoking and grating to our feelings in the highest
degree, but it convinced us of the ill disposition
of these savages towards us, and rendered us fear-
ful lest they might at some time or other persuade
or force Maquina and the chiefs, to put us to death.
jewitt's narrative. 115
We were also often brought to great distress
for the want of provision, so far as to be reduced
to collect a scanty supply of muscles and limpets
&om the rocks, and sometimes even compelled to
part with some of our most necessary articles of
clothing, in order to purchase food for our sub-
sistence. This was, however, principally owing
to the inhabitants themselves experiencing a great
scarcity of provisions this season there having
been, in the first place^ but ve*\ few salmon
caught at Friendly Cove, a most unusual cir-
cumstance, as they generally abound there in the
spring, which was by the natives attributed to their
having been driven away by the blood of our men,
who had been thrown into the sea, which with
true savage inconsistency, excited their murmers
against Maquina, who had proposed cutting off
our ship. Relying on this supply, they had in
the most inconsiderate manner squandered away
* their winter stock of provisions, so that in a
few days after their return, it was entirely expend-
ed. Nov were the king and chiefs much more
fortunate in their whaling, even after I had fiu*nish-
ed Maquina with the improved weapon for that
purpose; but four whales having been taken during
the season, which closes the last of May, including
one that had been struck by Maquina and escaped,
and was afterwards driven on shore about six miles
from Nootka, in almost a state of putridity.
These afforded but a short supply, to a popula-
tion, including all ages and sexes, of no less, than
fifteen hundred persons, and of a character so very
improvident, that after feasting most gluttonously
whenever a whale was caught, they were several
times for a week together, reduced to the necessi-
ty of eating but once a day, and of collecting
^ ^ " tizedbyCOOgle
116 JfiWITT*8 NARRATITfi.
cockles and muscles from the rocks for their food*
And even afler the cod and halibut fishing com-
menced in June, in which they met with tolerable
success, such was the savage caprice of Maquina
that he would often give us but little to eat, finally
ordering us to buy a canoe and fishing implements,
and go out ourselves and fish, or we ilhould have
nothing. To do this, we were compelled to part
with our great coats, which were not only impor-
tant to us as garments, but of which we made our
beds, spreading them under us when we slept.
Prom our want of skill, however, in this new em- .
ploy, we met with no success^, on discovering
which, Maquina ordered us to remain at honoe.
Another thing, which to me in particular, proved
an almost constant source of vexation and disgust,
and which living among them had not in the least
reconciled me to, was their extreme fikhiness, not
only in eating fish, especially the whale, when in a
state of offensive putridity, but while at their
meals of making a practice of taking the vermin
from their heads or clothes, and eating them, by
turns thrusting their fingers into their hair,
and into the dish, and spreading their garments
over the tubs in which the provision was cook-
mg, in order to set in motion their inhabitants.
Fortunately for Thompson, he regarded this much
less than myself, and when I used to point out to
him any instances of their filthiness in this respect,
he would laugh and reply, Never mind John, the
more good thmgs the better. I must however do
Maquina the justice to state, that he was much
neater both in his person and eating than were the
others, as was likewise his queen, owing no doubt
to his intercouse with foreigners, which had given
him ideas of cleanliness, for I never saw either of
litizedby VjOC
jswitt's narrative. 117
them eat any of these anunals, but on ihe contrary
they appeared not much to relish this taste in
others. Their, garments, also, were much clean-
er, Maquina having been accustomed to give his
away when they became soiled, till after he dis-
covered that Thompson and myself kept ours clean
by washing them, when he used to make Thomp-
son do the same for him.
Yet amidst this state of endurance and disap-
pointment, in hearing repeatedly of the arrival of
ships at the north and south, most of which proved
to be idle reports, while expectation was almost
wearied out in looking for them, we did not wholly
despond, relying on the mercy of the Supreme
Being, to offer up to whom our devotions on the
days appointed for his worship, was our chief con-
solation and support, though we were sometimes
obliged by our task-masters to infringe upon the
Sabbath, which was to me a source of much re-
gret.
We were nevertheless, ti*eated at times, with
much kindness by Maquina, who would give us a
plenty of the best that he had to eat, and occa-
sionally, some small present of cloth for a garment,
promising me, that if any ship should arrive within
a hundred miles of Nootka, he would send a canoe
with a letter from me to the captain, so that he
might come to our release. These flattering prom-
ises and marks of attention were however, at those
times, when he thought himself in personal danger
from a mutinous spirit, which the scarcity of pro-
vision had excited among the natives, who, like
true savages, imputed all their public calamities,
of whatever kind, to the misconduct of their chief,
or when he was apprehensive of an attack from
some of the other tribes who were irritated with him
itized by Google
118 JKWITT's ITARRATIVB. *
for cutting off the Boston, as it had prevented ships
from coming to trade with them, and who were
constantly alarming him with idle stories of vessels
that were preparing to come against him, and ex-
terminate both him and his people the Cayuquets.
At such times, Jie made us keep guard over him
both night and day, armed with cutlasses and pis-
tols, being apparently afraid to trust any of his own
men. At one time, it was a general revolt of his
people that he apprehended — ^then three of his
principal chiefs, among whom was his elder broth-
er, had conspired to take away his life, and at
length he fancied that a small party of Klaooquates,
between whom and the Nootkians^, little friendship
subsisted, had come to Nootka, under a pretence of
trade, for the sole purpose of murdering him and his
family, telling us, probably to sharpen our vigi-
lance, that their mtention was to kill us likewise;
and so strongly were his fears excited on this oc-
casion, that he not only ordered us to keep near
him armed by day, whenever he went out, and to
patrole at night before his house while tliey remain-
ed, but to continue the same guard for three days
after they were gone, and to fire at one and at four
in the morning, one of the great guns, to let them
know, if, as he suspected, they were lurking in the
neighbourhood, that he was on his guard. While
he was thus favourably disposed towards us, I took
an opportunity to inform him of the ill treatment
that we frequently received from his people, and
the insults that were offered us by some of the
stranger tribes in calling us white slaves, and load-
ing us widi other opprobrious terms. He was
much displeased, and said that his subjects should
not be allowed to treat us ill, and that if any of the
strangers did it, he wishod us to punish tb« offand-
itized by Google
jbwitt's narratite.
lid
era with death, at the same time directing us for
oiu security, to go constantly armed. This per-
mission was soon improved by Thompson to the
best advantage; for a few days after, having gone to
the pond to wash some of our clothes, and blanket
for Maquina, several Wickinninish who were then
at Nootka, came thither, and seeing him washing
the clothes, and the blanket spread upon the grass
to dry, they began according to custom to insult
him, and one of them bolder than the others,
walked over the blanket. Thompson was highly
incensed, and threatened the Indian with death if
he repeated the offence, but he, in contempt of the
threat, trampled upon the blanket, when drawing
his cutlass, without farther ceremony, Thompson
cut off his head, on seeing which the others ran
Thompson killing the Ivdlnuk
off at full speed; Thompson then gatlieriug up the
clothes and blanket on which were the marks of the
Indian's dirty feet, and taking with him the head,
returned and informed the king of what had pass-
ed, who was much pleased, and highly ^^ommend-
' joogle
130 jewitt's narrative.
ed his conduct. This had a favourable effect for
us, not only on the stranger tribes, but the inhabi-
tants themselves, who treated us afterwards with
less disrespect.
In the latter part of July, Maquina informed me
that he was going to war with the A-y-charts^ a
tribe living at about fifty miles to the south, on ac-
count of some controversy that had arisen the pre-
ceding summer, and that I must make a number
of daggers for his men, and cheetoolths for his
chiefs, which having completed, he wished me to
make for his own use a weapon of quite a different
form, in order to dispatch his enemy by one blow
on the head, it being the calculation of these na-
tions on going to war, to surprize their adversaries
while asleep; This was a steel dagger, or more
properly a spike, of about six inches long made
very sharp, set at right angles in an iron handle ot
fifteen inches long, terminating at the lower end in
a crook or turn, so as to prevent its being wrench-
ed from the hand, and at the upper, in a round
knob or head, from whence the spike protruded.
This instrument I polislied highly, and the more to
please Maquina, formed on die back of the knob,
the resemblance of a man's head, with the mouth
open, substituting for eyes, black beads, which I
fastened in with red sealing wax. This pleased
him much, and was greatly admired by his chiefs,
who wanted me to make similar ones for them, but
Maquina would not suffer it, reserving for himself
alone this weapon.
When these people have finally determined on
war, they make it an invariable practice for three
or four weeks prior to the expedition, to go into
the water five or six times a day, where they wash
and scrub themselves from head to foot with bush
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
JEWITT*» NARRATIVE. 121
es intermixed with briars, so that their bodies and
faces will often be entirely covered with blood.
During this severe exercise, they are continually
exclaiming, ^^Wocash Quahtfotze^ Teechamme
ah toelth^ mk-etish tau-ilth — Kar-sab-matemaf —
Wik'sish to hauk matemas — / ya-ish kah-shittle
— As-smootish warich matemas — Which signifies,
Good, or great God, let me live — Not be sick —
Find the enemy — Not fear him — Find him asleep,
and kill a great many of him. During the whole of
this period they have no intercourse with their
women, and for a week, at least, before setting out,
abstain from feasting or any kind of merriment,
appearing thoughtful, gloomy, and morose, and for
the three last days, are almost constantly in the
water, both day and night, scrubbing and lacera-
ting themselves in a terrible manner. Maquina
naving informed Thompson and myself that he
should take us with him, was very solicitous that
we should bathe and scrub ourselves in the same
way with them, telling me that it would harden
our skins so that the weapons of the enemy would
not pierce them, but as we felt no great inclination
to amuse ourselves in this manner, we declined it.
The expedition consisted of forty canoes, carry-
ing from ten to twenty men each. Thompson and
myself armed ourselves with cutlasses and pistols,
but the natives, although they had a plenty of
European arms, took with them only their daggers
and ch^toolths, with a few bows and arrows, the
latter being about a yard in length, and pointed
with copper, muscle shell, or bone: the bows are
four feet and a half long, with strings ,made of
whale sinew.
To go to A-y-chart, we ascended from twenty
to thirty miles, a river about the size of that of
n itized by Google
12^ jewitt's narrative.
Tashees, the banks of which are high and covered
with wood. At midnight, we came in sight of the
village, which was situated on the west bank near
the shore on a steep hill difficult of access, and
well calculated for defence. It consisted of fifteen
or sixteen houses, smaller than those at Nootka,
and built in the same style, but compactly placed.
By Maqulna's directions, the attack was deferred
until the first appearance of dawn, as he said that
was the time when men slept the soundest.
At length all being ready for the attack, we
landed with the greatest silence, and going around
so as to come upon the foe in the rear, clambered
up the hill, and whilvi the natives, as is their cus-
tom, entered the several huts, creeping on all
fours, my comrade and myself stationed ourselves
without, to intercept those who should attempt to
escape, or come to the aid of their friends. I
wished if possible, not to stain my haftls in the
blood of any fellow creature, and though Thomp-
son would gladly have put to death all the savages
in the country, he was too brave to think of attack-
ing a sleeping enemy. Having entered the houses,
on the war-whoop being given by Maquina, as he
seized the head of the chief, and gave him the fatal
blow, all proceeded to the work oT death. The
A-y-charts being thus surprised, were unable to
make resistance, and with the exception of a very
few, who were so fortunate as to make their escape,
were all killed or taken prisoners on condition of
becoming slaves to their captors. I also had the
good fortune to take four captives, whom Maqui-
na, as a favor, permitted me to consider as mine,
and occasionally employ them in fishing for me,
as for Thompson, who thristed for revenge, he had
no wish to trfce any prisoners, but with his ,«utlass,
• Digitized by CjOOQIC
jewitt's narratite. 123
the only weapon he would employ against them,
succeeded in killing seven stout fellows who came
to attack him, an act which obtained him great
credit with Maquina and the chiefs, who after this,
held him in much higher estimation, and gave him
the appellation of Chehiel'suma-harj it being the
name of a very celebrated warrior of their nation in
ancient times, whose exploits were the constant
theme of their praise.
Thompmn slaying the Natives.
After having put to death all the old and infirm
of either sex, as is the barbarous practice of these
people, and destroyed the buildings, we re-embark-
ed with our booty in our canoes, for Nootka,
where we were received with great demonstrations
of joy by tlie women and children, accompany-
ing our war-song with a most furious drunmiing on
the houses. The next day a great feast was given
by Maquina, in celebration of his victory, which
was terminated as usual with a dance by Sat-sat-
sak-sis.
Repeated applications had been made to Maqui-
na, by a number of kings or chiefs, to purchase
134 JEWITT's NARRATITfi. .
me, especially after he had showed them the har-
poon I had made for him, which he took much
pride in, but he constantly refused to part with me
on any terms. — Among these, the king of the
Wickinninish was particularly solicitous to obtain
me, having twice applied to Maquina for that pur-
pose, once in a very formal manner, by sending
his messenger with four canoes, who, as he ap-
proached the shore, decorated in their highest style,
with the white down on his head, &c. declared
that he came to buy Tooteyoohannis^ the name by
which I was known to them, for his master, and
that he had brought for that purpose four young
male slaves, two highly ornamented canoes, such
a number of skins of the metamehh, and of the
quartlack^ or sea-otter, and so many fathoms of
cloth and of I-wliaw, while as he mentioned the
different articles, they were pointed out or held
up by his attendants, but even this tempting offer had
no influence on Maquiua; who in the latter part of
the summer, was again very strongly urged to sell
mo by UlatUla, or as he is generally called, Ma-
c> ee Ulatilla, chief of the Klaizzarts, who had
come to Nootka on a visit.
This chief, who could speak tolerable English,
had much more the appearance of a civilized man,
than any of the savages that I saw. He appeared
to be about thirty, was rather small in his person,
but extremely well formed, with a skin almost as
fair as that of an European, good features, and a
countenance expressive of candour and amiable-
ness, and which was almost always brightened with
a smile. He was much neater both in his dress
and person than any of the other chiefs, seldom
wearing paint, except upon his eye-brows, which
after the custom of his country, were plucked out,
jewitt's narratite. 135
and a few strips of the pelpelth on the lower part of
his face. He always treated me with much kind-
ness, was fond of conversing with me in English and
m his own language, asking me many questions rela-
tive to my country, its manners, customs, &c. and
appeared to take a strong interest in my fate, tell-
ing me, that if he could persuade Maquina to part
with me, he would put me on board the first ship
that came to his country; a promise, which from
his subsequent conduct, I have good reason to
think he would have performed, as my deliver-
ance, at length, from captivity and suffering was,
under the favour of divine providence, wholly ow-
ing to him, the only letter that ever reached an
European or American vessel, out of sixteen tliat
I wrote at different times, and sent to various parts
of the coast, having been delivered by him in per-
son. So much pleased was I with this man's be-
haviour to me while at Nootka, that I made for
him a Cheetoolth, which I burnished highly, and
engraved with figures; with this he was greatly de-
lighted; I also should have made for liim a harpoon
would Maquina have consented.
With hearts full of dejection and almost lost to
hope, no ship having appeared off Nootka this sea-
son, did my companion and myself accompany the
tribe on their removal in September to Tashees,
relinquishing in consequence, for six months, even
the remotest expectation of relief.
Soon after our establishment there, Maquina in-
formed me, that he and his chiefs had held council
both before and after quitting Nootka, in which
they had determined that I must marry one of their
women, urging as a reason to induce me to con-
smit) that as there was now no probability of a ship
m^mBg ta N»etka to release me, that I isust oon-
126 jewitt's narrative.
sider myself as destined to pass the remainder of my
life with them, that the sooner I conformed to
their customs the better, and that a wife and family
would render me more contented and satisfied with
their mode of living. I remonstrated against this
decision, but to no purpose, for he told me that
should I refuse, both Thompson and myself would
be put to death, telling me however, that if there
were none of the women of his tribe that pleased
me, he would go with me to some of the other
tribes, where he would purchase for me such an
one as I should select. Reduced to this sad ex-
tremity, with death on the one side, and matri-
mony on the other, I thought proper to choose
what appeared to me the least of the two evils,
and consent to be married, on condition, that as
I did not fancy any of the Nootka women, I should
be permitted to make choice of one from some
other tribe.
This being settled, the next morning by day-light
Maquina witfi about fifty men in two canoes, set.
out with me for A-i-tiz-zart, taking with him a
quantity of cloth, a number of muskets, sea-otter
skins, &c. for the purchase of my bride. With
the aid of our paddles and sails, being favoured
with a fair breeze, we arrived some time before
sun set at the village. Our arrival excited a gen-
eral alarm, and the men hastened to the shore,
armed with the weapons of their country, making
many warlike demonstrations, and displaying much
zeal and activity. We in the mean time remained
quietly seated in our canoes, where we remained
(or about half an hour, when the messenger of the
chief, dressed in their best manner, came to wel-
come us, and invite us on shore to eat. We fol-
lowed him m procession to the chiefs house, Ma-
jewitt's narrative. 137
quina at our head, taking care to leave a sufficient
number in the boats to protect the property.
When we came to the house, we were ushered in
with much ceremony, and our respective seats
pointed out to us, mine being next to Maquina by
his request.
After having been regaled with a feast of herring
spawn and oU, Maquina asked me if I saw any
among the women who were present that I liked.
I immediately pointed out to him a young girl of
about seventeen, the daughter of Upquesta, the
chief, who was sitting near him by her mother.
On this Maquina making a sign to his men, arose
and taking me by the hand, walked into the mid-
dle of the room, and sent off two of his men to
bring the boxes containing tlie presents from the
canoes. In the mean time Kinneclimmets, the
master of ceremonies, whom I have already spo-
ken of, made himself ready for the part he was to
act, by powdering his hair with the white down. —
Whai the chests were brought in, specimens of
the several articles were taken out, and showed by
our men, one of whom held up a musket, another
a skin, a third a piece of cloth, &c. On this
Emneclimmets stepped forward, and addressing
the chief, informed him that all these belonged to
me, mentioning the number of each kind, and that
they were offered him for the purchase of his
daughter Eu-sioch-ee-exqua^ as a wife for me.
As he said this, the men who held up the various
articles, walked up to the chief, and with a very
stem and morose look, the complimentary one on
these occasions, threw them at his feet. Imme-
diately on which, all the tribe, both men^ and wo-
men, who were assembled on this occasion, set
up a cry of Klack-ko-Tyee, that is. Thank ye
128 jewitt's nareatitb.
chief. • His men, after this ceremony, having re-
turned to their places, Maquina rose, and in a
speech of more than half an hour, said much in my
praise to the A-i-tiz-zart chief, telling him that I
was as good a man as themselves, differing from
them omy in heing white, that I was besides ac-
quainted with many things of which they were ig-
norant; that I knew how to make daggers, chee-
toolths, and harpoons, and was a very valuable
person, whom he was determined to keep always
with him; praising me at the same time for the
goodness of my temper, and the manner in which
I had conducted smce I had been with them, ob-
serving that all the people of Nootka, and evea
the children loved me.
While Maquina was speaking, his master of cer-
emonies was continually skipping about, making
the most extravagant gestures and exclaiming Wo*
cash. When he had ceased, the A-i-tiz-zart chief
arose amidst the acclamations of his people, and
began with setting forth the many good qualities and
accomplishments of his daughter; that he loved
her greatly, and as she was his only one, he
could not think of parting with her. He spoke
in this manner for some time, but finally concluded
by consenting to the proposed union, requesting
that she might be well used and kindly treated by
her husband. At the close of this speech, when
die chief began to manifest a disposition to consent
to our union, Kinneclimmets again began to <;aU
out as loud as he could bawl, Wocash, cutting a
thousand capers and spinmng himself around on his
heel like a top.
When Upquesta had finished his speech, he di-
rected his people to carry back the presents which
Maquina had given him, to me, together with two
itized by Google
129
young male slaves to assist me in fishing. Tnese,
after having been placed before me, were by
Maquina's men taken on board the canoes. This
ceremony being over, we were invited by one of
the principal chiefs to a feast, at his house, of
Klussamit^ or dried herring, where after the eat-
ing was over, Kinneclimmets amused the company
very highly with his tricks, and the evening's en-
tertainment was closed by a new war-song from
our men, and one in return from the A-i-iiz-zarts,
accompanied with expressive gestures, and wield-
ing of their weapons.
After this, our company returned to lodge at
Upquesta's, except a few who were left on board
the canoes to watch the property. In the mom-,
ing I received from the chiei his daughter, with an
earnest request that I would use her well, which I
. promised him, when taking leave of her parents,
she accompanied me with apparent satisfaction on
board of the canoe.
The wind being ahead, the natives were obliged
to have recourse to their paddles, accompanying
them with their songs, interspersed with the witti-
^cisms and buffonry of Kinneclimmets, who, in his
capacity of king's steersman, one of his functions
which I forgot to enumerate, not only guided the
course of the canoe, but regulated the singing of
the boatmen. At about five in the morning, we
reached Tashees, where we found all the inhabi-
iants collected on the shore to receive us. We
were welcomed with loud shouts of joy, and ex-
clamations of Wocash, and the women taking my
bride under their charge, conducted her to Ma-
quina's house, to be kept with them for ten days;
it being an universal custom as Maquina informed
me, that no intercourse should take place between
ISO jewitt's narratitk.
the new married pair during that period. At
night Maquiaa gave a great feast, which was suc-
ceeded by a dance, in which all the women joined,
andf thus ended the festivities of my marriage.
The term of my restriction over, Maquina as-
signed me as an apartment, the space in the upper
part of his house, between him and his elder broth-
er, whose room was opposite. Here I established
myself with my family, consisting of myself and
wife, Thompson and the Htde Sat-sat-sak-sis, who
had always been strongly attached to me, and now
solicited his father to let him live witli me, to
Vhich he consented. This boy was handsome, ex-
tremely well formed, amiable, and of a pleasant,
sprightly disposition. I used to take a pleasure in
decorating him with rings, bracelets, ear jewels,
&c. which I made for him of copper, and orna-
mented and polished them in my best manner. I
was also very careful to keep him free from vermin
of every kind, washing him and combing his hair
every day. These marks of attention were not
only very pleasing to the child, who delighted in
being kept neat and clean, as well as in being dress-
ed off in his finery, but was highly gratifying both
to Maquina and his queen, who used to express
much satisfaction at my care of him.
In making my domestic establishment, I deter-
mined, as far as possible, to live in a more com-
fortable and cleanly manner than the others. For
this purpose, I erected with planks, a partition of
about three feet high, between mine and the ad-
joining rooms, and made three bedsteads of the
same, which I covered with boards, for my family
to sleep on, which I found much more comforta-
ble than sleeping on tlie floor amidst the dirt.
Fortunately I found my Indian^rincess both
Digitized by VjOO
JEWITT's NARRATITfi. 131
amiable and' mtelligent, for one whose limited
sphere of observation must necessarily give rise
to but a few ideas. She was extremely ready to
agree to any thing that I proposed relative to our
mode of living, was very attentive in keeping her
garments and person neat and clean, and appeared
in every respect, solicitous to please me. She
was, as I have said, about seventeen; her person
was small, but well formed, as were her features,
her complexion was, without exception, fairer
than any of the women, with considerable colour
m her cheeks, her hair long, black, and much sof-
ter than is usual with them, and her teeth small,
even, and of a dazzling whiteness, while the ex-
pression of her countenance, indicated sweetness
of temper and modesty. She would, indeed, have
oeen considered as very pretty in any country, and
excepting Maquina's queen, was by far the hand-
somest of any of their women.
With a partner possessing so many attractions,
many may be apt to conclude, that I must have
found myself happy, at least comparatively so; but
far otherwise was it with me, a compulsory marri-
age with the most beautiful and accomplished per-
son in the world, can never prove a source of real
happiness, and in my situation, I could not but
view this connection as a chain that was to bind me
down to this savage land, and prevent my ever
again seeing a civiHzed country; especially, when
in a few days after, Maquina informed me that
there had been a meeting of his chiefs in which it
was determined, that as I had married one of their
women, I must be considered as one of them, and
conform to their customs, and that in future, nei-
ther myself nor Thompson should wear our Euro-
pean clotb^s^ but dress in Kutsaks like themselves.
182 jewitt's nareatite.
This order was to me most jpainful, but I persuad*
ed Maquina, at length, so far to relax in it as to
permit me to wear those I had at present, which
were almost worn out, and not to compel Thomp-
son to change his dress, observing, that as he was
an old man, such a change would cause his death.
Their religious celebration, which the last year
took place in December, was in this, commenced
on the 1 5th of November, and continued for four-
teen days. As I was now considered as one of
them, instead of being ordered to the woods, Ma-
quma directed Thompson and myself to remain,
and pray with them to Quahootze to be good to
them, and thank him for what he had done. It
was opened in much the same manner as the for-
mer. After which, all the men and women in the
village assembled at Maquina^s house, in their
plainest dresses, and without any kind of ornaments
about them, having their beads bound around with
the red fillet, a tqken of dejection and humiliation,
and their countenances expressive of seriousness
and melancholv. The performances during the
continuance of this celebration, consisted sJinoat
wholly in singing a number of songs to mournful
airs, the king regulating the time by beating on his
hollow plank or drum, accompanied by one of bis
chiefs, seated near him with the great rattle. In
the mean time, they eat but seldom, and then very
little, retiring to sleep late, and rising at the firsts
appearance of dawn, and even interrupting thb
snort period of repose, by getting up at midnight
and singing. It was terminated by an exhibition
of a similar character to the one of the last year,
but still more cruel. A boy of twelve years old,
with six bayonets run into his flesh, one through
each arm and thigh, and through each sidd c]ose to
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
JEWITT'f NARUbTITB. 133
the ribs, was carried aroimd the room, suspended
upon them, without manifesting any s3rmptoms of
pain. Maquina, on my enquiring the reason of
this display, informed me that it was an ancient
custom of his nation, to sacrifice a man at the close
of this solemnity in honour of their God, but that
his father had abolished it, and substituted this in
its place. The whole closed on the evening of
the 29th, with a great feast of salmon spawn and
oil, at which the natives as usual, made up for
their late abstmence.
A few days after a circumstance occurred,
which, from its singularity, I cannot forbear men-
tioning. I was sent for by my neighbour Yealth'
lower ^ the king's elder brother, to file his teeth,
which operation having performed, he informed
me that a new wife, whom he had a little time be-
fore purchased, having refused to sleep with him,
it was his intention, provided she persisted in her
refusal, to bite off her nose. I endeavoured to
dissuade him from it, but he was determined, and
in fact, performed his savage threat that very
night, saying that since she would not be his wife,
she should not be that of any other,' and m the
mommg sent her back to her father.
This inhuman act did not, however, proceed
from any innate cruelty of disposition, or malice,
as he was far from being of a barbarous temper;
but such is the despotism exercised by these sa-
vages over their women, that he no doubt consid-
ered it as a just punishment for her offence, in be-
bg so obstinate and perverse; as he afterwards told
me, that in similar cases, the husband had a right,
with them, to disfigure his wife m this way, or
gome other, to prevent her ever marrying again.
Absutthe middle of December, we left Tash-
Digitized by VjOOQ IC
134 jewitt's karratitc.
ees for Cooptee. As usual at this season, we
found the herring in great plenty, and here the
same scene of riotous feasting as I witnessed the
last year, was renewed by our improvident natives,
who, in addition to their usual fare, had a plenti-
ful supply of wild geese,^ which were brought us in
great quantities by the Esquates. . These, as Ma-
quina informed me, were caught with nets made
from bark, in the fresh waters of that country.
Thosd who take them, make choice for that pur-
pose, of a dark and rainy night, and with their ca-
noes stuck with lighted torches, proceed with as
little noise as possible, to the place where the
geese are collected, who, dazzled by the light,
suffer themselves to be approached very near,
when the net is thrown over them, and in this
manner, from fifty to sixty, or even more, will
sometimes be taken at one cast.
On the 16th of January, 1805, about midnight,
1 was thrown into considerable alarm, in conse-
quence of an eclipse of the moon, being awakened
from my sleep by a great outcry of the inhabitants.
On going to discover the cause of this tumult, I
found them all out of their houses, bearing lighted
torches, singing and beating upon pieces of plank;
and when I asked them the reason of this proceed-
ing, they pointed to the moon, and said that a
great cod-fish was endeavouring to swallow her,
and that they were driving him away. The ori-
gin of this superstition I could not discover.
Though in some respects, my situation was ren-
dered more comfortable since my marriage, as I
lived in a more cleanly manner, and had my food
better and more neatly cooked, of which, besides,
I had always a plenty, my slaves generally furnish-
ing me, and Upquesta never failing to send me an
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
JEWITT*S NARRATIVE. 135
ample supply by the canoes that came from A-i-tiz-
zart; still, from my being obliged at this season
of the year, to change my accustomed clothing, and
to dress like the natives, with only a piece of clotli
of about two yards long, thrown loosely around me,'
my European clothes having been for some time
entirely worn out, I suffered more than I can ex-
press from the cold, especially as I was compelled
to perform the laborious task of cutting and bring-
ing the fire wood, which was rendered still more
oppressive to me, from my comrade for a consi-
derable part o( the winter, not having it in liis
power to lend me his aid, in consequence of an
attack of the rheumatism in one of his knees, with
which he suffered for more than four months, two
or three weeks of which he was so ill as to be un«
able to leave the house. This state of suffering,
with the little hope I now had of ever escaping
from the savages, began to render my life irksome
to me, still, however, I lost not my confidence in
the aid of the Supreme Being, to whom, whenever
the weather and a suspension from the tasks im-
posed on me, would permit, I never failed regu-
larly, on Sundays, to retire to the wootis to wor-
ship, taking Thompson with me when he was able
to go.
On the 20th of February, we returned to our
summer quarters at Nootka, but on my part, with
.far different sensations than the last spring, being
now almost in despair of any vessel arriving to re-
lease us, or our being permitted to depart if there
should. — Soon after our return, as preparatory to
the whaling season, Maquina ordered "me to make
a good number of harpoons for himself and his
chiefs, several of which I had completed with
^me lances, when on the 16th of March, I was
1S6 nWITT't KAERATIVB.
taken very HI with a violent cholic, caused, I pre-
sume, from my having suffered so much bom the
cold in going without proper clothing. For a
number of hours I was in great pain, and expected
to die, and on its leaving me, I was so weak as
scarcely to be able to stand, while I had nothing
comforting to take, nor any thing to drink but cold
water. On the day following, a slave belonging to
Maquina died, and was immediately, as is their
custom in such cases, tossed unceremoniously out
of doors, from whence he was taken by some others,
and thrown into the water. The treatment of this
poor creature made a melancholy impression upon
my mind, as I could not but think, diat such pro-
bably, would be my fate should I die among tliese
heathen, and so far from receiving a decent burial,
that I should not even be allowed the common privi-
lege of having a little earth thrown over my remains.
The feebleness in which the violent attack of
my disorder had left me, ih^ dejection I felt at the
almost hopelessness of my situation, and the want
of warm clothing and proper nursing, though my
Indian wife, as far as she knew how, was always
ready, and even solicitous, to do every thing for
me she could, still kept me very much indisposed,
which Maquina perceiving, he finally told me, that
if I did not like living with my wife, and that was
the cause of my being so sad, I might part with
her. This proposal I readily accepted, and the
next day Maquina sent her back to her father.
On parting with me, she discovered much emotion,
begging me that I would suffer her to remain till I
had recovered, as there was no one who would
take so good care of me as herself. But when I
told her she must go, for that I did not think I
should ever recover, which in truth J but Httla
itizedbyLiOOgle
137
expected, and that her father would take good
care of her, and treat her much more kindly than
Maquina, she took an affectionate leave, telling me
that she hoped I should soon get better, and left
her two slaves to take care of me.
Though I rejoiced at her departure, I was
greatly affected with the simple expressions of her.
regard for me, and could not but feel strongly in-
terested for this poor girl, who in all her conduct
towards me^ had discovered so much mildness and
attention to my wishes; and had it not been that I
considered her as an almost insuperable obstacle
to ray being permitted to leave the country, I
should no doubt have felt the deprivation of her
society a real loss. After her departure, I request-
ed Maquina, that, as I had parted with my wife,
he would permit me to resume my European dress,
for, otherwise, from not having been accustomed
to dress like them, I should certainly die. To
this he consented, and I once more became com-
fortably clad.
Change of clothing, but more than all, the hopes
which I now began to indulge, that in the course
of the summer I should be able to escape, in a
short time restored me to health, so far, that I
could again go to work in making harpoons for
Maquina, who, probably, fearing that he should
have to part with me, determined to provide him-
self with a good stock.
I shall not however, longer detain tlie reader
with a detail of occurrences that intervened between
this period, and that of my escape, which, from
that dull uniformity that marks the savage life,
would be in a measure, but repetitions, nor dwell
upon that mental torture I endured, from a con-
stant conflict of hope and fear, when the former,
12*
138 jewitt's narratite.
almost wearied out with repeated disappomtment,
offered to our sinking hearts no prospect of release,
but deadi, to which we were constantly exposed
from the brutal ignorance and savage disposition
of the common people, who in the various couiv-
cils that were held this season to determine what
t6 do with us, in case of the arrival of a ship, were
dmost always for putting us to death, expecting
by that means to conceal the murder of our crew,
and to throw the blame of it on some other tribe.
These barbarous sentiments, were, however, uni-
formly opposed by Maquina and his chiefs, who
would not consent to our being injured. But as
some of their customs and traits of national char-
acter, which I think deserving of notice, have not
been mentioned, I shall proceed to give a brief
account of them.
The office of king or chief, is, with those peo-
ple, hereditary, and descends to the eldest son, or
m failure of male issue, to the elder brother, who
in the regular line, is considered as the second
person in the kingdom. At feasts, as I have ob-
served, the king is always placed in the highest,
or seat of honour, and the chiefs according to their
respective ranks, which appear, in general, to be
determined by their aiSinity to the royal family;
they are also designated by the embellishments of
their mantles, or Kutsaks. The king or head Tyee,
is their leader in war, in the management of which
he is perfectly absolute. He is also president of
their councils, which are ahnost always regulated
by his opinion. But he has no kind of power
over the property of his subjects, nor can he re-
quire them to contribute to his wants, being in
this respect, no more privileged than any other
person. He has m conunon with his chiefs, the
JEWITT't NAEBATITE. IS9
right of holding slaves, which is not enjoyed bjr
!)r]vate individuals, a regulation probab^ arising
rem their having been originally captives taken in
battle, the spoils of war being understood as ap-
pertaining to the king, who receives and apportions
them among his several cliiefs and warriors, ac-
cording to their rank and deserts. In conformity
with this idea, the plunder of the Boston, was all
deposited in Maquina's bouse, who distributed part
of it among his chiefs, according to their respec-
tive ranks or degree of favour \vith him, giving to
one, three hundred muskets ,"^10 another, one hundred
and fif^, with other things in like proportion.
The king is, however, obliged to support his dig-
nity by making frequent entertainments; and when-
ever he receives a large supply of provisions, he
must invite all the men of Itis tribe to his house, to
eat it up, otherwise, as Maquina told me, he would
not be considered as conducting like a Tyee,
and would be no ODore tliought of than a com-
mon man.
With regard to Uieir religion — They believe in
the existence of a Supreme Being, whom they call
Quahootzey and who, to use Maquina's expression,
was one great Tyee in die sky, who gave tnem their
fish, and could take them from them, and was the
greatest of all kings. Their usual place of wor-
ship, appeared to be the water, for whenever they
bathed, they addressed some words in form of
prayer to God above, intreating that he would
preserve them in health, give them good success
m fishing, &c. These prayers were repeated with
much more energy, on preparing for whaling or for
war, as I have already mentioned. Some of them
woidd sometimes go several miles to bathe, in order
to doit in secret; the reason for this I could never
140 jewitt's narrative.
learn, though I am uiduced to think it was in conse-
quence of some family or private quarrel, and that
they did not wish what they said to be heard;
while at other times, they would repair in the same
secret "manner to the woods, to pray. This was
more particularly tlie case with the women, who
might also have been prompted by a sentiment of
decency, to retire for the purpose of bathing, as
they are remarkably modest. I once found one
of our women more than two miles from the vil-
lage, on her knees in the woods, with her eyes
shut, and her face turned towards heaven, utter-
ing words in a lamentable tone, among which I
distinctly heard, Wocash Ah-welth^ meaning good
Lord, and which has nearly the same signification
with Quahootze. Though I came very near her, she
appeared not to notice me, but continued her de-
votions; and I have frequently seen the women go
alone into the woods, evidently for the purpose of
addressing themselves to a superior being, and it
was always very perceptible on their return, when
they had thus been employed, from their silence
and melancholy looks.
They have no belief however, in a state of fu-
ture existence, as I discovered in conversation with
Maquina, at Tootoosch's death, cm my attempting
to convince him, that he still existed, and that he
would again see him after his death: but he could
comprehend nothing of it, and pointing to tlie
groimd, said that there was the end of him, and
Siat he was like that. Nor do they believe in
ghosts, notwithstanding the case of Tootoosch
would appear to contradict this assertion, but that
was a remarkable instance, and such a one as had
never been known to occur before; yet from the
mummeries performed over the sick, it is verv ao-
■itizedbyGOC -^ *^
JEWITT*8 NARIUTIVE. HI
parent that tbey believe in the agency of spirits, as
they attribute disease to some evil one that has en-
tered the body of the patient. Neither have they
any priests, unless a kind of conjuror may be so
considered, who sings and prays over the sick, to
drive away the evil spirit.
On the birth of twins, tliey have a most singular
custom^ which, I presume, has its origin in some
religious opinion, but what it is, I could never sat-
isfactorily learn. The father is prohibited for the
space of two years from eating any kind of meat,
or fresh fish, during which time, he does no kind
of labour whatever, being supplied with what he
has occasion for from the tribe. In the mean
time he and his wife, who is also obliged to con-
form to the same abstbence, with their children,
live entirely separate from the others, a small hut
being built for their accommodation, and he is never
invited to any of the feasts, except such as con-
sist wholly of dried provision, where he is treated
with great respect, and seated among the chiefs,
though no more himself, than a private individual.
Such births are very rare among them; an instance
of the kind however occurred while I was at Tash-
ees the last time, but it was the only one known
since the reign of the former king. The father
always appeared very thoughtful and gloomy, never
associated with the other inhabitants, and was at
none of the feasts but such as were entirely of
dried provision, and of this, he eat not to excess,
and constantly retired before the amusements com-
menced. His dress was very plain, and he wore
around his head the red fillet of bark, the symbol
of mourning and devotion. It was his daily prac-
tice to repair to the mountain, with a chiePs rattle
in his hand, to sing and pray, as Man aiiut. informed
142 jewitt's narrative.
me, for the fish to come into their waters. When
not thus employed, he kept continually at home,
except when sent for to sing and perform his cere-
monies over the sick, being considered as a sacred
character, and one much in favour with their
gods.
These people are remarkably healthful, and live
to a very advanced age, having quite a youthful
appearance for their years. They have scarcely
any disease but the cholic, their remedy for which,
is friction, a perscm rubbing the bowels of the sick
violently, until the pain has subsided, while the
conjuror or holy man, is employed, in the mean
time, in making his gestures, singing, and repeating
certain words, and blowing off the evil spirit, when
the patient is wrapped up in a bear skin in order to
produce perspiration. Their cure for the rheuma-
. tism, or similar pains, which I saw applied by Maqui-
na, in the case of Thompson, to whom it gave re-
lief, is by cutting or scarifying the part affected.
In dressing wounds, they simply wash them with
salt water, and bind them up with a strip of cloth,
or the bark of a tree. They are, however, very
expert and successful in the cure ' of fractured or
dislocated limbs, reducing them very dexterously,
and after binding them up with bark, supporting
them with blocks of wood, so as to preserve
, their position. During the whole time I was
among them, but five natural deaths occurred,
Tootoosch and his two children, an infant son of
Maquina, and the slave whom I have mentioned, a
cirumstance not a little remarkable in a population
of about fifteen hundred; and ss respects child-
birtii, so light do they make of it, t'uat I have seen
their women the day after, employed as usual, as if
little or nothing had happened. _
^ized by Google
JEWITT's IfARRATIV£. 143
The Nootkians in their conduct towards each
other, are in general pacific and inoffensive, and
appear by no means an ill tempered race, for I do
not recollect any instance of a violent quarrel be-
tween any of the men, or the men and their wives,
while I was with them, that of Yealthlower ex-
cepted. But when they are in the least offended,
they appear to be in the most violent rage, acting
like so many maniacs, foaming at the mouth, kick-
ing and spitting most furiously; but this is rather a
fashion with them, than a demonstration of malig-
nity, as in their public speeches, they use the same
violence, and he is esteemed the greatest orator,
who bawls the loudest, stamps, tosses himself
about, foams and spits the most.
In spealdng of their regulations, I have omitted
mentioning, that on attaining the age of seventeen,
the eldest son of a chief, is considered as a chief
himself, and that whenever the father makes a pres-
ent, it is always done in the name of his eldest son,
or if he has none, in that of his daughter. The
chiefs, frequently purchase their wives at the age
of eight or ten, to prevent their being engaged by
others, though they do not take them from their
parents until they are sixteen.
With regard to climate, the greater part of the
spring, summer, and autumn, is very pleasant, the
weather being at no time oppressively hot, and
the winters uncommonly mild, for so high a lati
tude, at least as far as my experience went. A.
Tashees and Cooptee, where we passed the cold-
est part of the season, the winter did oot set in till
late in December, nor have I ever known the ice,
even on the fresh water ponds, more than two or
three inches in thickness, or a snow exceeding four
inches in depth; but what is wanting in snpw, is am-
4 JEWITT's IfARBATITE.
^ly made up in rain; as I have frequently known it
during the wmter months, rain almost incessantly
or five or six days in succession.
It was now past mid-summer, and the hopes we
had indulged of our release, became daily more
faint, for thoqgh we had heard of no less thmi seven
vesseb on the coast, yet none appeared inclined to
venture to Nootka. The destruction of the Boston,
the largest, strongest, and best equipped ship, with
much the most valuable cargo of any that had ever
been fitted out for the North- West trade, had inspir-
ed the commanders of others with a general dread
of coming thither; lest they should share the same
fate; and though in the letter I vnrote (imploring
those who should receive them, to come to the
relief of two unfortunate Christians who were suf-
fering among heathen) , I stated the cause of the
Boston's captiu'e, and that there was not the least
danger in coming to Nootka, provided they would
follow the directions I laid down; still I felt very
little encouragement, that any of these letters would
come to hand, when on the morning of the nine-
teenth of July, a day that will be ever held by me
in grateful remembrance, of the mercies of God,
while I was employed with Thompson in forging
daggers for the king, my ears were saluted vrith the
joyful sound of three cannon, and the cries of the
mhabitants, exclaiming, Weena, weena — ^Mameth-
lee — that is, strangers — ^white men.
Soon after, several of our people came running
into the house, to inform me that a vessel under
full sail was coming into the harbour. Though
my heart bounded with joy, I repressed my feel
ings, and affectbg to pay no attention to what wait
said, told Thompson to be on his guard, and no
betray any joy, as our release, and perhaps oc
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
jrsWITT't HABKATITB.
I4«
Armal of the brig Lydia» at Nootka Soimd.
lives, depended on our conducting ourselves so as
to induce the natives to suppose we were not very
anxious to leave them. We continued our works
as if nothing had happened, when in a few minutes
after, Maquina came in, end seemg us at work
appeared much surprised, and asked me if I did
not know that a vessel had come. I answered in
a careless manner, that it was nothing to me.
How, John, said he, you no glad go board. I
replied that I cared very little about it, as I had
become reconciled to their manner of living, and
bad no wish to go away. He then told me, that he
had called a council of his people respecting us,
and that we must leave off work and be present at it.
The men having assembled at Maquina 's house,
he asked them what was their opinion should be
done with Thompson and myselfnow a vessel had
arrived, and wheUier he had not better go on board
himself, to make, a trade, and procure such ^urticles
as were wanted. Each one of tie tribe who
wished, gave his opinion. Some were for putting
us to death, and pretending to the strangers, that
^^ Digitized by Google
146 JEW1TT*S NARRATIVE.
a different nation had cut off the Boston, while
others, less barbarous, were for sending us fifteen
or twentj miles back into the country until the de-
parture of the vessel. These, however, were the
sentiments of the common people, the chiefs op-
posing our being put to death, or injured, and
several of them, among the most forward of whom
were Yealthlower and the young chief, Toowin-
naJdnnishy were for immediately releasing us; but
this, if he could avoid it, by ;ao means appeared to
accord with Maquina's wishes.
Having mentioned Toowinnakinnish, I shall
briefly observe, that he was a young man of about
twenty-three years old, the only son of Toopees-
hottee, the oldest and most respected chief of the
tribe. His son had always been remarkably kind
and frieiiHly to me, and I had m return frequently
made for him daggers, cheetoolths, and other thingis,
in my best manner. He was one of the hand-
somest men among them, very amiable, and much
milder in his manners than any of the others, as
well as neater both in his person and house, at
least his apartment, without even excepting Ma-
quina.
With regard, however, to Maquina's going on
board the vessel, which he discovered a strong in-
clination to do, there was but one opinion, all re-
monstrating agamst it, telling him that the captain
would kill him or keep him a prisoner, in conse-
quence of his having destroyed our ship. When
Maquina had heard their opinions, he told them
that he was not afraid of bemg hurt from going on
board the vessel, but that he would, however, in
that respect, be guided by John, whom he had
always found true. He then turned to me, and
asked me if I thought there would be any danger
Digitized.by VjOOQ iC
JEWITT*8 NARRATITE. 147
in his going on board. I answered, that I was not
surprised at the advice his people had given him,
unacquamted as they were with the manners of the
white men, and judging them by their own, but if
they had been with them as much as I had, or
even himself;, they would think very different.
That he had almost always experienced good and
civil treatment from them, nor had he any reason
to fear the contrary now, as they never attempted
to harm those who did not injure them, and if he
wished to go on board, he might do it, in my
-opinion, with security. — After reflecting a few
moments, he said, with much apparent satisfaction,
that if I would write a letter to the captain, telling
him good of him that he had treated Thompson
and myself kindly since we had been with him,
and to use him well, he would go. It may readi-
ly be supposed that I felt much joy at this deter-
mination; but knowing that the least incaution
might annihilate all my hopes of escape, I was
careful not to manifest it, and to treat his going or
staying as a matter perfectly indifferent to me. I
told him that if he wished me to write such a letter,
I had no objection, as it was the truth, otherwise
I could not have done it.
I then proceeded to write the reconunendatory
letter, which the reader will naturally imagine was
of a somewhat different tenor from the one he had
required; for if deception is in any case warranta-
ble, it was certainly so in a situation likp ours,
where the only chance of regaining that freedom
of which we had been so unjustly deprived, de-
pended upon it; and I trust that few, even of the
most rigid, will condemn me with severity for
making use of it, on an occasion which afforded
me the only hope of ever more beholding a Chris-
148 JGWITT^S HARltATITB.
dan country, and preserving myself, if not from
death, at least from a life of continued suffering.
The ktter which I wrote, was nearly m the fol-
lowing terms: —
To Captain , <
of the Brig-
J^ootka^ July 19, 1805.
Sir,
THE bearer of thb letter is the Indian king by
the name of Maquina. He was the instigator of
the capture the ship Boston, of Boston in North
America, John Salter captain, and of the murder of
twenty-five men of her crew, the two only survivors
being now on shore — ^Wherefore I hope you will
take care to confine him according to his merits,
putting in your dead lights, and keeping so good a
watch over him, that he cannot escape from you.
By so doing we shall be able to obtain our release in
the course of a few hours.
JOHN R. JEWITT, Armourer
of the Boston^ for himself and
John Thompson, Sail-maker of said ship.
I have been asked how I dared to write in this
manner: my answer is, that from my^ long resi-
dence among these people, I knew thaf I had little
to apprehend from dieir anger on hearing of their
king being confined, while they knew his life de-
pended upon my release, and that they would soon-
er have given up five hundred white men, than
have had him injured. This will serve>tp explaia
litizedby VjOC *
jbwitt's karratite 149
the little apprehension I fait at their menaces after-
wards, for otherwise, sweet as liberty was to me,
I should tiardly have ventured on so hazardous an
experiment.
-On ray giving the letter to Maquina, he asked
me to explain it to him. This I did line by line,
as he pointed them out witli his finger, but in a
sense very different from the real, giving him to
understand that I had written to the captain, that
ns he had been kind to me since I had been taken
by him, that it was my wish that the captain should
treat him accordingly, and give him what molass-
es, biscuit, and rum he wanted. When I had
finished, placing his finger in a significant manner
on my name at the bottom, and eyeing me with a
look that seemed to read my inmost thoughts, he
said^o me, " John, you no he?" Never did I
undergo such a scrutiny, or ever experience great-
er apprehensions than I felt at that moment, when
my destiny was suspended on the slightest tliread,
and the least mark of embarrassment on mine, or
suspicion of treachery on his part, would probably
have rendered my life the sacrifice. Fortunately
I was able to preserve my composure, and my be-
ing painted in the Indian manner, which Maquina
had since my mairiage, required of me, prevented
any change in my countenance fron* being noticed,
and I replied with considerable promptitude, look-
ing at him in my turn, with all the confidence I
could muster, " Why do you ask me such a ques-
tion, Tyee? have you ever known me to he?"
" No." " Then how can you suppose I should
tell you a he now, smce I have never done it."
As I was speaking, he still continued lookmg at
noe with the same piercing eye, but observing noth-
ing to excite his suspicion, he told me that he be-
23 » itizedbyCOOgle
150
lieved what I said was true, and that he would go
on board, and gave orders to get ready his canoe.
His chiefs again attempted to dissuade him, using
every argument for that purpose, while his wives
crowded around him, begging him on their knees,
not to trust himself with the white men. Fortu-
nately for my companion and myself, so strong was
his wish of going on board the vessel, that he was
deaf to their solicitations, and making no other re-
ply to them, than, ^^ John no lie," left the house,
taking four prime skins with him as a present to the
captain.
Scarcely had the canoe put off, when he order-
ed his men to stop, and calling to me, asked me
if I did not want to go on board with him. Sus-
pecting this as^ a question merely intended to en-
snare me, I replied that I had no wish to do it, not
having any desire to leave them.
On going on board the brig, Maquina immedi-
ately gave his present of skins and my letter to the
captain, who on reading it, asked him into the
cabin, \^ere he gav6 him some biscuit and a glass
of rum, at the same time, privately directing his
mate to go forward, and return with five or six of
tlie men armed. When they appeared, the cap-
tain told Maquina that he was his prisoner, and
should continue so, until the two men, whom he
knew to be on shore, were released, at the same
time ordering him to be put in irons, and the win-
dows secured, which was instantly done, and a
couple of men placed as a guard over him> Ma-
quina was gready isurprised and terrified at this re-
ception; he however, made no attempt to resist,
but requested the captain to permit one of his men
to come and see him. One of them was accord*
mgly called, and Maquina said something to hiro
jbwitt's naeeatitk. 151
vduch the captain did not understand, but suppos-
ed to be an order to release us, when the man re-
turning to the canoe, it was paddled off with the
utmost expedition to the shore. As the canoe ap-
proached, the inhabitants, who had all collected
upon the beach, manifested some uneasiness at not
seeing their king on board, but when on its arrival,
they were told that the captain had made him a
. prisoner, and that John had spoke bad about him
m a letter, they all both men and women, set up
a loud howl, and ran backwards and forwards upon
the shore like so many lunatics, scratching their
(aces, and tearing the hair in handfuls from their
heads.
After they had beat about in this manner for
some time, the men ran to their huts for their
weapons, as if preparing to attack an invading
enemy; while Maquina's wives and the rest of the
women, came around me, and throwing themselves
on their knees, begged me with tears to spare his
life, and Sat-sat-sak-sis, who kept constantly with
me, taking me by the hand, wept bitterly, and join-
ed his entreaties to theirs, that I would not let the
white men kill his father. I told them not to af-
flict themselves, that Maquina's life was in no dan-
ger, nor would the least harm be done to him.
The men were however, extremely exasperated
with me, more particularly the common people,
who came ruiming in the most furious manner to-
wards me, brandishing their weapons, and threat-
ening to cut me in pieces no bigger than their
thumb nails, while others declared they would
bum me alive over a slow fire, suspended by my
heels. All this fury, however, caused me but lit-
tle alarm, as I felt convinced they would not dare
to execute their threats while the king was on
itizedbyCjOOgle
15S jbwitt's namutitb.
board the brig. The chiefs took no part in this
violent conduct, but came to me and enquired the
reason why Maquina had been thus treated, and if
the captain intended to kill him. I told them that
if they would silence the people, so that I could
be heard, I would explain all to them. They
immediately put a stop to -the noise, when I in-
formed them that the captain in confining Maquina,
had done it of his own accord, and only in order
to make them release Thompson and myself, as
he well knew we were with them, and if they
would do that, their king would receive no in-
' lury, but be weD treated, otherwise he would be
Kept a prisoner. As many of them did not appear
to be satisfied with this, and began to repeat their
murderous threats — Kill me, said I to them; if it
is your wish, throwing open the bear skin which I
wore, here is my breast, I am only one among so
many, and can make no resistance, but unless you
wish to ^ your king hanging by his neck to that
pole, pointing to the yard arm of the brig, and the
sailors firing at him with bullets, you will not do it.
no, was the general cry, that must never be; but
what must we do? I told tliem that their best
I^an would be, to send Thompson on board, to
desire the captain to use Maquina well till I was re-
leased, which would be soon. This they were
perfectlj willing to do, and I directed Thompson
to go on board. But he objected, saying that he
would not leave me alone with the savages. I told
him not to be under any fear for me, for that if I
could get him off, I could manage well enough for
myself, and that I wished him immediately on get-
ting on board the brig, to see the captain, TivA re-
quest him to keep Maquina close till I wag releas-
ed, as I was in no danger while he had bm safe.
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JKWITT*8 NAKftATITC. 153
Whto I saw Thompson offy I asked the natives
what they intended to do with me* They said I
must talk to the captain again, in another letter ^
and tell him to let his boat come on shore with
Maquina, and that I should be ready to jimip into
the boat at the same time Maquina should jump on
shore. I told them that the captain, who knew
that they had killed my shipmates, would never
trust his men so near the shore for fear they would
kill them too, as they were so much more numer-
ous; but that if they would select any three of
their number to go with me in a canoe, when we
came within hail, I could desire the captain to
send his boat with Maquina, to receive me in ex-
change for him.
This appeared to please them, and after some
whispering among the chiefs, who from what words
I overtieard, concluded that if the captain should
refuse to send his boat with Maquina, the three
men would have no difficulty in bringing me back
with them, they agreed to my proposid, and select-
ed three of their stoutest men to convey me.
Fortunately having been for some time accustom-
ed to see me armed, and suspecting no design on
my part, they paid no attention to the pistols that I
hid about me.
As I was going into the canoe, little Sat-sat-sak-
sis, nHx) could not bear to part with me, asked me,
wkh an affecting simplicity, since I was going
away to leave him, if the white men would not
let his father come on shore, and not kill him. I
U^d him not to be concerned, for that no one
ikould mjure his father, when taking an affection-
ate leave of me, and again begging me not to let
ixe white men hurt his father, he ran to comfort
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
164 JBWITT's ITAKEATITB.
Ills mother, who was at a little distance, with the
assurances I had given him.
On entering the canoe, I seated myself in the
prow facing the three men, having determined if it
was practicable, from the moment I found Maqui-
na was secured, to get on hoard the vessel before
he was released, hoping by that means, to be ena-
bled to obtain the restoration of what property be-
longed to tlie Boston, still remaining in the pos-
session of the savages, which I thought, if it could
be done, a duty that I owed to the owners.
With feelings of joy impossible to be described,
did I quit this savage shore, confident now that
nothing could thwart my escape, or prevent the
execution of the plan I had formed, as the men ap-
pointed to convey and guard me, were armed
with nothing but their paddles. As we came
within hail of the brig, they at once ceased pad-
dling, when presenting my pistols at them, I or-
dered them instantly to go on, or I would shoot
the whole of them. A proceeding so wholly un-
expected, threw them into great consternation, and
resuming their paddles, in a few moments, to my
inexpressible delight, I once more found myself
along side of a Christian ship, a happiness which I
had almost despaired of ever again enjoying. All
the crew crowded to the side to see me as the ca-
noe come up, and manifested much joy at mjr
safety. I immediately leaped on board, where I
was welcomed by the captain, Samuel Hill, of the
brig Lydia of Boston, who congratulated roe on
my escape, informing me that he had received my
letter off Kla-iz-zart, from the chief Mackee Uk^
tllla, who came off himself in his canoe, to deliv*
it to him, on which he immediately proceeded
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JSWfTT'8 IfARRATITE^ 155
Utber to aid me. I returned him my thanks in
the best manner I could for his humanilj, though
I hardly knew what I said, such was the agitated
state of ray feelings at that moment, with joy for
my escape, thankfulness to the Supreme Being
who had so mercifully preserved me, and gratitude
to those whom he Lad rendered instrumental in
my delivery, that I have no doubt, that what with
my strange dress, being painted with red and black
from head to foot, having a bear skin wrapped
around me, and my long hair, which I was not al
lowed to cut, fastened on the top of my head in a
large bunch, with a sprig of green spruce, I must
have appeared more Uke one deranged than a ra-
tional creature, as captain Hill afterwards told me,
that he never saw any thing in the form of man,
look so wild as I did when I first came on board.
The captain then asked me into the cabin,
where I ^und Maquina in irons, with a guard over
him. He looked very melancholy, but on seeing
me his countenance brightened up, and he express-
ed his pleasure with the welcome of " Wocash
John;" when taking him by the hand, I asked the
captain's permission to take off his irons, assuring
him, that as I was with him, there was no danger of
his being in the least troublesome. He accordingly
consented, and I felt a sincere pleasure in freeing
from fetters, a man, who, though he had caused the
death of my poor comrades j had nevertheless, al-
iways proved my friend and protector, and whom I
had requested to be thus treated, only with a view
of securing my liberty. Maquina smiled and appear-
ed much pleased at this mark of attention from me.
When I had freed the king from his irons, cap-
min Hill wished to learn the particulars df our cap-
Hire, observing that an aceoimt of the destructimi
Digitized by Google
JCWITT*8 IfAERATITB.
of tbe ship and her crew bad been receired at
Boston before he sailed, hut that nothii^ more
was known, except that two of the men were liv-
mg, for whose rescue the owners had offered a lib-
eral reward, and that he had been able to get
nothing out of the old man, whom the sailors had
supplied so plentifully with ^rog, as to bring him
too much by the head to give any information.
I gave him a correct statement of the whole pro-
ceeding, together with the manner in which my life
and that of my comrade had been preserved. On
hearing my story, he was greatly irritated against
Maquina, and said he ought to be killed. I oh
served that however ill he might have acted m
taking our ship, yet that it would, perhaps, be wrong
to judge an uninformed savage, with the same se«
verity as a civilized person, who had the light of
religion and the laws of society to guide him.
That Maquina's conduct in taking our sbip^ arose
from an insult that he thought he had received from
captain Salter, and from ^e unjustifiable conduct
of some masters of vessels, who had robbed him,
and without provocation, kiUed a number of hb
people. Besides that, a regard for the safety of
others ought to prevent his being put to death, as 1
had lived long enough with these people to know that
revenge of an injury, is held sacred by them, Mid
that they would not fail to retaliate, should he kiU
their king, on the first vessel or boat's crew that
should give them an opportunity; and that, though
he might consider executing hhn as^but an act of
justice, it would probably cost the Hves of many
Americans.
The captain appeared to be convinced from
what I said, of the impolicy of takmg Maquina's
life, and said that he would leave it whol^ with
Digitized by VjOOQ iC
jbwitt's kakratitk. 157
me whether to spare or kill him, aa be was resolv*
ed to incur no censure in either case. I replied
that I most certainly should never take the life of
a man who ha^ preserved mine, had I no other
reason, but as diere was some of the Boston's
property still remaining on shore, I considered it
a duty that I owed to those who were interested in
that ship, to try to save it for them, and with that
view I thought it would be well to keep him on
board till it was given up. He concurred in this
Eroposal, saying if there was any of the property
sft, it most certainly ought to be got.
During this conversation Maquina was in great
anxiety, as from what English he knew he perfect*
ly comprehended the subject of our deliberation;
constantly interrupting me to enquire what we had
determined to do with him, what the captain siud,
if his life would be spared, and if I did not think
that Thompson would kill him. I pacified him as
weU as I was able, by telling him that he had noth*
ing to fear from the captain, that he would not be
faint, and that if Thompson wished to kill him,
which was very probable, he would not be allowed
to do it. He would then remind me that I was
indebted to him for my life, and that I ought to do
by him as he had done by me. I assured him that
such was my intention, and I requested him to re-
main quiet, and not alarm himseU*, as no harm was
intended him. But I found it extremely difficult
|o convince him of this, as it accorded so little
With the ideas of revenge entertained by them. I
'ftold him however, that he must restore all the
jproperty still in his* possession, belonging to the
ship. This he was perfectly ready to do, happy
to escape on such terms. But as it was now past
; €vA. and too late for the articles to b^g^ected.
158
and brought off, I lold him that he must content
himself to remain on board with me that night,
and in the morning he should be set on shore as
soon as the things were delivered. To this he
agreed, on condition that I would remain with him
in the cabin. I then went upon deck, and the ca-
noe that brought me having been sent back, I
bailed the inhabitants, and told them that their
kmg had agreed to stay on board till the next day,
when he would return, but that no canoes must at-
tempt to come near the vessel during the night, as
they would be fired upon. They answered. Wo-
hoj tooho — ^very well, very well. I then returned
to Maquina, but so great were his terrors, that he
would not allow me to sleep, constandy disturbing
me with his questions, and repeating, *' John, you
know when you was alone, and more than five
hundred men were your enemies, I was your friend
and prevented them from putting you and Thomp-
son to death, and now I am in the power of your
friends, you ought to do the same by me." I as-^
sured him that he would be detained on board nc
longer than the property was released, and that
soon as it was done, he would be set at liberty.
At day hresk I hailed the natives, and told ther
that it was Maquina*s order that they should bring
off the cannon, and anchors, and whatever remain-j
ed with them of the cargo of the ship. This
they set about doing with the utmost expeditionJ
transporting the cannon and anchors by lashing ton
gether two of their largest canoes, and coverina
them with planks, and in the course of two hoursJ
they delivered every diing on board that I could
recollect, widi Thompson *s and my chest, con4
twmng the papers of the ship, &c. J
When every thing belonging to Ae ship had,
Digitized by VjOOQIC |
JEWITT*8 NARRATITB. 159
been restored, Maquina was permitted to return in
his canoe, which had been sent for him, with a
present of what skins he had collected, which
were about sixty, for the captain in acknowledg-
ment of his having spared his life and allowed him
to depart unhurt; such was also, the transport he
felt when captain Hill came into the cabin, and
told him that he was atUberty to go, that he threw
off his mantle, which consisted of four of the very-
best skins, and gave it to him, as a mark of his
gratitude;^ in return for which, the captain presented
him with a new great coat and hat, with which he
appeared much deUghted. The captain then de-
sired me to inform him that he should return to
that part of the coast in November, and that he
wished him to keep what skins he should get,
wliich he would buy of him. This Maquina prom-
ised, saying to me at the same time, " Jolm, you
know I shdl be then at Tashees, but when you
come make potr, which means, fire a gun to let
me know, and I will come down." When he
came to the side of the brig, he shook me cordi-
ally by the hand, and told me that he hoped I
^ould come to see him again in a big ship, and
bring much plenty of blankets, biscuit, molasses
and rum, for him and his son who loved me a
great deal, and that he would keep all the furs he
got for me, observing at the same time, that he
should never more take a letter of recommenda-
tion from any one, or ever trust himself on board a
vessel unless I was there. Then grasping both
my hands, with much emotion, wfile the tears
trickled down his cheeks, he bade me fareweU,
and stept into the canoe, which immediately pad-
dled him on shore.
Natwithstandine my joy at my deliverance, and
160 JEWITT 8 KAR&JLTIVB.
the pleasing anticipation I felt of once more be-
holding a civilized country, and again being per-
mitted to offer up my devotions in a Christian
church, I could not avoid experiencing a painful
sensation on parting with this savage chief, who
had preserved my life, and in general treated me
with kindness, and considering their ideas and
manners, much better than could have been ex-
pected.
My pleasure was also greatly damped by an un-
fortunate accident that occurred to Toowimiakinn-
ish. That interesting young chief had come on
board in the first canoe in the morning, anxious to
see and comfort his king. He was received with
much kindness by captain Hill, from the favorable
account I gave of him, and invited to remain on
board. As the muskets were delivered, he was ia
the cabin with Maquina, where was also the cap-
tain, who on receiving them, snapped a number in
order to try the locks; unluckily one of them hap-
pened to be loaded with swan shot, and going off,
discharged its contents into the body of poor
Toowimiakinnish, who was sitting opposite. ' On
hearing the report, I instantly ran into the cabin,
where I found him weltering in his blood, with
the captain who was greatly shocked at the acci-
dent, endeavouring to assbt him. We raised him
up, and did every thing in our power to aid and
comfort him, telling him that we felt much grieved
at his misfortune, and that it was wholly uninten-
tional; this he told me he was perfectly satisfied of,
and while we dressed and bound up his wounds in
the best manner we could, he bore the pain with
great calmness, and bidding me farewell, was put
on board one of the canoes, and taken on shore,
where after languishing a few days, he expired.
jewitt's narrative. 161
To me, his misfortune was a source of much
affliction, as he had no share in the massacre of
our crew, was of a most amiable character, and had
always treated me with the greatest kindness and
hospitality.
The Brig being under weigh, immediately on
Maquina's quitting us, we proceeded to the north-
ward, constantly keeping the shore in sight, and
touching at various places for the purpose of trad-
ing.
Having already exceeded the bounds I had pre-
scribed myself, I shall not attempt any account of
our voyage upon the coast, or a description of the
various nations we met with in the course of it,
among whom were a people of a very singular ap-
pearance, called by the sailors the Wooden-lips.
They have many skins, and the trade is principal-
ly managed by their women, who are not only ex-
pert in making a bargain, but are as dexterous in
the management of their canoes, as the men are
elsewhere.
After a period of nearly four months from our
leaving Nootka, we returned from' the northward
to Columbia river, for the purpose of procuring
masts, &c. for o<!lr brig, which had suffered con-
siderably in her spars during a gale of wind. We
firoceeded about ten miles up the river, to a small
ndian village, where we heard from the inhabi-
tants, that Captains Clark and Lewis, from the
United States of America, had been there about a
fortnight before, on their journey over-land, and
had left several medals with them, which they
showed us. The river at this place, is of con-
siderable breadth, and both sides of it from its en-
trance, covered with forests of the very iSnest pine
'.timber, fir and spruce, interspersed with Indian
163 jewitt's narrative.
settlements. Here, after providing ourselves with
spars, we sailed for Nootka, where we arrived in
the latter part of November. The tribe being ab-
sent, the agreed signal was given, by firing a can-
non, and in a few hours after a canoe appeared,
which landed at the village, and putting the king
on shore, came off to the brig. — Enquiry was im-
mediately made by Kinueclimmets, who was one
of thg tliree men in the canoe, if John was there,
as the king had some skins to sell them if he was.
I then went forward and invited them on board,
with which tliey readily complied, telling me that
Maquina had a number of skins with him, but tliat
be would not come on board unless I would go on
shore for him. This I agreed to, provided they
would remain in the brig in the mean time. To
this they consented, and the captain taking them
into the cabin, treated them with bread and molasses.
I then went on shore in the canoe, notwithstanding
the remonstrances of Thompson and the captain,
who, though he wanted the skins, advised me by
no means to put myself in Maquina's power; but I
assured him that I had no fear as long as those men
were on board. As I landed Maquina came up
and welcomed me with much joy: on enquiring
for the men, I told him that they were to remain
till my return. *'Ah John," said he, I see *' you
are afrajd to trust me, but if they had come with
you, I should not have hurt you, though I should
have taken good care not to let you go on board
of another vessel." He then took his chest of
skins, and stepping into the canoe, I paddled him
along-side the brig, where he was received and
treated by Capt. Hill with the greatest cgrdiality,
who bought of him his skins. He left us much \
^sed with his reception, enquiring of me how "
1
JCWITT*8 NARRATIVE. 168
many moons it would be before I should come
back again to see him and his son, who had beg-
ged him hard to let him come with him to see me:
saying, that he would keep all his furs for me, and
that as soon as my son, who was then about five
months old, was of a suitable age to take from his
mother, he would send for him, and take care of
him as his own.
As soon as Maquina had quitted us, we got un-
der weigh, ancT stood again to the northward*.
We continued on the coast until the eleventh of
August, 1806, when having completed our trade,
we sailed for China, to the great joy of all our
crew, and particularly so to me. With a degree
of satisfaction that I can ill express, did I quit a
coast to which I was resolved nothing should again
tempt me to return, and as the tops of the moun-
tains sunk in the blue waves of ocean, I seemed to
feel my heart lightened of an oppressive load.
We had a prosperous passage to China, arriving
at Macao in Decerpber, from whence the brig pro-
ceeded to Canton. There I had the good fortune
to meet a townsman and an old acquaintance, in
the mate of an English East-Indiaraan, named John
Hill, whose father, a wealthy merchant in Hull, in
the Baltic trade, was a next door neighbour to mine.
Shortly after our arrival, the captain being on
board the English ship, and mentioning his having
had the good fortune to liberate two men of the
Boston^s crew from the savages, and that one of
them was named Jewitt, my former acquaintance
immediately came on board the brig too see me.
Words can ill express my feelings on seeing
him. Circumstanced as I was, among persons
who were entire strangers to me, to meet thus in
a foreign land, with one between whom and my-
1S4
jbwitt's 1?AR&ATITB,
self, a considerable indmacy had subsisted, was a
Eleasure that those alone who have been in a simu-
ir situati(Hi can properly estimate. He appeared
on his part, no less happy to see me, whom he
supposed to be dead, as the account of our capture
had been received in England some time before
his sailing, and all my friends supposed me to have
been murdered. From this young man, I received
every attention and aid, that a feeling heart, inter-
ested in the fate of another, could confer. He
supplied me with a new suit of clotlies, and a hat,
a small sum of money for my necessary expences,
and a numbCT of little articles for sea-stores on my
voyage to America. I also gave him a letter for
my father, in which I mentioned my wonderful
preservation, and escape, through the humanity of
captain Hill, with whom I should return to Bos-
ton. This letter he enclosed to his father, by a
ship that was just sailing, in consequence of which
it was received much earlier than it otherwise
would have been.
ArriTal of tke brig Lydia at Boston.
We left China in Februrary, 1807, and after a
pleasant voyag« of one hundred and fourteen days,
jewitt's naekatite. 166
arrived at Boston. My feelings on once more find-
ing myself in a Christian country, among a people
speaking the same language widi myself, may be
more readily conceived dian expressed. In the
Post- Office in that place, I found a letter for me
from my mother, acknowledging the receipt of
mine from China, expressing the great joy of my
family on hearing of my being alive and wcU, whom
they had for a long lime given up for dead, and
requesting me to write to them on receiving her let-
ter, which I accordingly did. While in Boston,
I was treated with much kindness and hospitality
by the owners of the ship Boston, Messrs.
Francis and Thomas Araory of that place, to whom
1 feel myself under great obligations for their
goodness to me, and the assistance which they so
readily Affisrded a stranger in distress.
d by Google
166 JEWITT*S NARKATITK,
WAR^ONG OP THE NOOTKA TRIBE.
Commencing \oith a ehorw repeated at the end of
^ each line.
Hah-yeehahyar har> he yar hah.
le yie ee yah har— ee yie hah.
le yar-ee yar hah— ee yar hah.
le yar ee I yar yar hah — le yar ee yee yah !
I-ye ma hi-chili at-sish Kla-ha — ^Ha-ye-hah.
Que nok ar parts-arsh waw — le yie-yar,
"Waw-hoo naks sar hasch — ^Yar-hah* I-yar bee I-yar.
Waw hoo naks ar hasch yak-qoeets aah ni-ese,
Waw har. Hie yee ah-hah.
Repeated over and over with gestures and brandisJb-
Uig of weapons.
NOTE,
' le^ee ma hi-ddU^ signifies, Te do not l^ow. It ap-
pears to be a poetical mode of expression, the common
one for you do not know, being, JFik-kum-atush; from
diis, it would seem that they hare two languages, one
for their sones and another for conmion use. The
general meanmg of this first song appears to be, Te lit-
ue know ye men of Klahar, what valiant warriors we
are. Poorly can our foes contend with us, when we
come with our daggers, &c.
The Nootkianshave no songs of a historical nature,
nor do they appear to have any tradition respecting
their origin.
TBE KND.
d by Google ,
OCT 5 t92f
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